Summer Love, Summer Fears
by Peach Wookiee
Summary: Sequel to A Guy's Worst Nightmare. Co-written by Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15. The teen couples go home for the summer to meet the parents and face challenges that don't involve saving the world; just helping each other. Chapter 90 up! Complete!
1. The Beginning

Chapter I: The Beginning

_Hello, everyone and welcome to the long-awaited sequel to "A Guy's Worst Nightmare" in which Jaden and Alexis finally declared their love, Syrus and Bastion finally got official girlfriends and Hassleberry got official with his girlfriend, Rosa. Rosa, for those of you who don't know, is an OC established by 15animefreak15 in her own version of the Yugi-verse. Check out her other tales for more information on Rosa. I know that Bastion might seem a little OOC, but we've seen how he acts when distracted by the fairer sex, and I think this is faithful to that. As for Hassleberry, we've never really seen him in love and I'm willing to guess he is a big old softie._

_This latest story is not going to be as happy and light as the previous story. While there will be very light and happy moments, this story will be heavier on romance and drama. It will also deal with a subject that we don't tend to see too often…dating battery. However, we hope that this will not turn you off to the story and that you will love it anyway. There will also be dueling in this tale! And so, we begin "Summer Love, Summer Fears."_

_**Disclaimer: Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They also don't own Sailor Moon. 15animefreak15 owns the characters Violet Haverbrook and Rosa Jimenez. Peach Wookiee owns Annie Hanson.**_

The school year at Duel Academy had drawn to a close. People were saying good-bye to their friends and some were making and discussing plans to see each other over the summer. Eleven teens in particular were discussing their plans with gusto because for eight of them, this summer could decide their futures after senior year.

"ANNIE!!" The name rang through the crowd of students, before a rather hyper-active Violet Haverbrook tackle-hugged her best friend. "Annie! I found you!!" Violet cheered happily. Violet was an Obelisk Blue student with purple hair and bright green eyes, nearing her 16th birthday.

"Hey, Violet! Oh, this is so great! I can't believe we'll get to hang out for a bit this summer! A week in Domino and then…maybe I can come to Cleveland or you can come to Seattle!" Annie said, equally excited. She was a slightly chubby girl with dark brown hair and big blue eyes.

"Yep yep! My parents found out about the distance-issue and got me a special 'Constant Flier' card. Now, all of my flights over break are half-price!" explained Violet, holding up the piece of plastic proudly. "Oh! Did I tell you that Bastion's going to come to Cleveland? We're going to meet each other's parents! Should be fun," she added, grinning.

"Oh my gosh! I almost forgot! Sy's coming up to Seattle with me to meet my parents, but not before I meet his parents in Domino...Oh, boy, this is serious..." the blue-eyed girl said, slightly panicked.

"What's the big deal? You say 'hi' to his parents, have dinner, fly to Seattle, he says 'hi' to your parents, has dinner, and DONE!!" explained Violet rather quickly. Suddenly, she raised her hand and waved vigorously, nearly smacking Annie in the face. "BASTION!! OVER HERE!!"

"Coming, darling!" Bastion called, coming up. "Oh, hello, Annie. Where's Syrus?"

"Hi, Bastion. He said something about getting me something...I'm not sure what he was getting me, though..." Annie answered, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Aw! Maybe it's flowers!!"squealed Violet dreamily.

Just then, a spot of light blue could be seen amongst the crowd, before Syrus ran over. "S-Sorry I took...so long, Annie...here I picked...this for you," he explained between gasps. He held up a bouquet of daisies and some lilacs for her, face flushed from running.

"Oh, Sy! You didn't have to do that! Oh, and you're getting your allergies active!" the dark-haired girl said worriedly, taking the bouquet, wiping his nose with a tissue and giving him a kiss.Violet snickered and made kissing noises, even though she and Bastion did the same thing. Syrus blushed and leaned into the kiss before breaking away, not wanting to draw too much attention.

"So, what will you two be doing for the summer?" Bastion asked the other couple kindly. "I understand you'll be in Domino for a bit, is that right, Annie?" Annie nodded and let Sy take over.

"Yeah, and then we're going to go up to Seattle so I can meet her parents. What about you guys?" asked Syrus.

Violet pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Hey! You copied us!! We're going to Domino so that I can meet Bastion's parents, then we're going back to Cleveland, Ohio so that he can meet my parents!!"

"Sy, you left something out...he's spending part of the summer at my house," Annie blushed.

"We haven't exactly figured out the time-frame stuff yet..." replied Violet, yawning. 'Stupid manga...' she thought.

"Hey, guys!" called a familiar voice. Alexis appeared, Jaden beside her with their hands joined.

"Hey, guys!" Annie called out cheerfully.

"Man, I can't believe the school year's over!" Jaden said cheerfully as well.

"No more tests!" cheered Violet, pumping a fist into the air.

"So, Jaden, what are you and Alexis doing over break?" asked Syrus curiously.

"Well, we're meeting each other's parents...Mom and Dad can't believe I'm actually engaged!" Jaden said.

"You are?!" gasped Violet. She snatched his free hand and examined it, squinting even though it was only five inches from her face.

"Yeah...I thought we already went over this," mumbled Syrus.

"What are you looking for, Violet??" asked Alexis, sweat-dropping.

"An engagement ring, duh..."answered Violet, dropping the hand.

"Um...well, it's not like Dorothy keeps those in stock," Jaden explained, blushing.

"He's right," Annie said.

"Violet, maybe Jaden has something special planned..." Bastion added.

"Well, wake me when that special thing happens, 'kay?" replied Violet through a yawn. She wrapped her arms around Bastion's neck from behind, resting her head against his back and closing her eyes.

"Um...is that normal?"asked Syrus. Alexis was staring at her shoes, deep in thought at the idea that Jaden might indeed have something special planned.

"I've told you before, Syrus...it's Violet," Annie said.

"Agreed," Bastion added, feeling slightly nervous.

"Hmm...I wonder where Hassleberry and Rosa are?"

Meanwhile, up at Jaden's chilling tree,Rosa Jimenez was sitting on one of the tree's many branches, her head resting against its trunk. Her eyes were closed against the dim glare of the sun, thoughts wandering to her father. Rosa was worried. Her last twenty suitors had gotten injured either from the bull or her father. 'I do not want Senor Hassleberry getting injured...' she thought, frowning sadly, brushing a lock of her red-brown hair out of her eyes.

"Rosa!" Hassleberry shouted, running toward the tree. "Darlin', where are ya? Oh, what in Sam Hill are you doin' up there?"

Rosa gasped, forced into a quick upright position out of shock. "Uh-oh!" She waved her arms wildly about, having lost her balance from the interruption. Unfortunately, this didn't stop her from tumbling down off of her perch in the tree, screaming as the ground raced towards her.

Hassleberry ran and got under her and she crashed on top of him. "Man down," he said weakly from beneath her.

Rosa's eyes were clenched shut, hands bawled into fists as she waited to feel the impact. When none came she slowly opened her eyes, only to relax as she realized that she'd landed on something soft. "Ah, good thing this cushion was here...cushion?! Senor Hassleberry! Lo siento!!" gasped Rosa. She quickly stood, crouching down beside him to see if he was all right.

"I'm all right, Spanish Rose...just glad you're okay..." he smiled, albeit shakily. "So, are your parents okay with comin' to Crawford?" Hassleberry's parents lived in Crawford, Texas.

Rosa let out a sigh of relief, helping her boyfriend to his feet. "Si. They should be there the day after tomorrow," answered Rosa happily. She realized he'd called her a pet name and blushed, silently declaring that she'd find one for him as well. "So...eh, what are tu doing out here?"

"Just lookin' for you and thinkin'. It's a big deal where I'm from when a guy meets his special girl's parents...you know?"

A picture of one of her suitors flying through the air flashed through her mind, making her sweat-drop. "Uh, si. The same goes where I come from. Eh-heh..."

Hassleberry got to his feet and headed over to sit down at the trunk of the tree, and motioned to his girlfriend to sit down next to him. "Mama and Daddy are gonna love you..."

Rosa sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder comfortably. "I'm glad. Mi mama will be so excited to see tu." Rosa frowned. "As for Papa...I don't know..."

"Why? Oh...you're the only daughter..." he said knowingly.

Rosa nodded sadly, wondering why her mother couldn't have had ONE more daughter. "Si. Papa es...protective, to say the least..." she muttered. 'UNDERSTATEMENT!!' her mind screamed.

"What's he done to your other boyfriends? Buried 'em in the backyard?" the Texas boy joked.

Rosa opened her mouth to answer, then bit her bottom lip. 'Jorge...' she thought. She stared at the ground, playing with the grass nervously.

"He didn't...did he?" Hassleberry asked weakly.

"Ah...it was an accident, really. We were digging a new vegetable garden y Papa...threw Jorge into the hole. He would have buried him alive if Mama and I were not there to stop him. Jorge was my last suitor before I came here, too..."explained Rosa, frowning.

"That's a relief," he said. "Well, in all seriousness...what has he made your other boyfriends do?"

Rosa straightened, staring at the clouds as she traced back through her memory. "Fight tauros...wrestle him...plow an entire field...find un needle in un haystack...learn el tango...write me un song..." she began, counting off on her fingers.

"Darlin', I'd face the devil himself for you..." Hassleberry asserted.

"Good! Because Papa's bull fighting name es 'El Diablo', The Devil," stated Rosa happily. She glanced at her watch and gasped, quickly jumping to her feet. "Senor Hassleberry, es getting late! We will miss el boat!!"

"Just a sec..." He spun her in his arms and dipped her, kissing her passionately.

Well, that was unexpected, to say the least. She didn't fight the kiss though, but simply wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened it. 'Senor Hassleberry, I will run away with tu if I must. None of my other suitors came close to tu...' thought Rosa happily.

"Darlin', let's go..." he said, swinging her back up and breaking the kiss.

"R-Right...where exactly were we going again?" she asked dazedly, eyes half-lidded.

"Uh...to the boat...we could...continue this discussion there..." he said, blushing.

"Right...el boat," she replied, also red. She shook her head and started walking, fingers interlaced behind her head as she closed her eyes. Hassleberry walked next to her.

_And that is chapter 1, everyone. Terribly fluffy and romantic, not to mention a bit unusual. I hope this has piqued your interest! Please read and review and chapter 2 will come! Thank you from 15animefreak15 and me!_


	2. The Bow of Royalty

Chapter II: The Bow of Royalty

_Welcome back, everyone, to another installment of "Summer Love, Summer Fears." For those of you who are wondering when this story will turn darker, it isn't this chapter. 15animefreak15 and I are glad you're all taking interest in it and are glad there are people who use to find joy in a weary world. I, for one, have been enjoying to reawaken a part of myself that hasn't enjoyed this kind of expression in many years. And I am glad to get to meet so many people who just have fun like this. Anyway, we would like to thank our reviewers and new readers and we each hope you'll check out our separate stories and leave reviews! _

_Last time…The new couples and remaining singles prepared for a long and happy summer. What happens next! Read and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX. Kukalaka the teddy bear is named for the bear of the same name featured on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Peach owns Annie and 15animefreak15 owns Violet and Rosa. They both own this story idea and have had so much fun writing it.**_

The four couples met up at the dock, each holding hands and waiting for what would come next. "This is going to be an interesting summer..." Annie said.

Jaden grinned. "Yeah. This is going to be great," he said as they boarded the boat. "And to think it started with Chancellor Shepherd trying to make us guys into sensitive guys..."

"I say it worked! Did you see how much Chazz was crying??" asked Violet, grinning.

"I didn't know he could cry...he seemed so tough," replied Syrus.

"At least he did not throw un tantrum like un certain Ra I know," stated Rosa, glancing at Hassleberry.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Was it really that bad?" asked Alexis, giggling.

"Oh, I knew I should've made that classified..." Hassleberry groaned.

"OH COME ON!" Chazz Princeton shouted, coming up. "It's been two months, Alexis! Maybe I should tell them what you did while you lived in my upgraded dorm!"

Violet blinked, shaking her head and rubbing her ear. "Violet?" muttered Syrus, confused.

"Eh, are you alright, Senorita Violet??" added Rosa more specifically.

"You still cri-" began Alexis. However, she was interrupted.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY? I CAN'T HEAR OUT OF MY EAR BECAUSE CHAZZ YELLED IN IT!" Violet yelled twice as loud.

"WHAT THE HECK!" Chazz yelled back.

"WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF?!" Annie shouted, her patience worn thin.

Syrus "eep'd", and hid behind Jaden. Rosa and Alexis sweat-dropped. Violet's ear gave a satisfying "pop". "Hooray! I'm cured!! Thank you, Annie!" cheered Violet happily. She hadn't heard Annie's impatient shouting, and hugged her excitedly.

"Uh...you're welcome?" Annie said, confused. "Um...Alexis?" she asked.

"Yeah?"Alexis replied. Violet had gone back to blatantly not paying attention to the conversation.

"Uh...what did you do?"

Alexis blushed, sending a deadly glare at Chazz to tell him that he'd better keep his mouth shut or else. "N-Nothing! Really, heh..."

"She sleepwalks," Chazz blurted out.

"Kya! CHAZZ!!" yelled Alexis. Her face went as red as Jaden's jacket, and she turned on the black-clothed Slifer with murderous intent. 'I know. I'll throw him off the boat; that should work...' she thought, fingers twitching.

"Oh, yay! Finally, some excitement!!" cheered Violet enthusiastically.

"LEX!" Jaden shouted. "It's okay!"

Alexis clenched her fists tightly and turned away from Chazz, forcing a smile onto her face. "Right. Remain calm, don't kill anyone. Stay focused," muttered Alexis, brow twitching.

"Aw! No fight?" asked Violet, pouting.

"Psychological revenge is far more fun..." Annie said. "And that's not a big deal, Alexis...we all have our things..."

"Good point, Annie! You sure I'm not rubbing off on you?" asked Violet, grinning.

"Annie has another point, though. I know Zane still has a Cyber End Dragon plushie..." stated Syrus. This caused everyone to burst out laughing, especially Violet.

"You told?" a familiar voice growled.

The hair on the back of Syrus' neck stood on end, as he turned only to come face-to-face with none other than Zane. "Uh, hi, Zane..." the bluenette greeted nervously.

Violet smirked and walked up to the Pro League duelist, mischief obvious in her intent. "Aw, that's adorable. The big bad pro Zaney still sleeps with his favorite monster card. How precious!" she squealed, giggling.

"Well..." Annie admitted, "I have stuffed animals..."

"Well duh, so do I. But it's cute to imagine someone as tough as Zaney here having one!" replied Violet, grinning. Syrus was still shaking a little, nervous that Zane was mad at them.

"Urgh..." Zane groaned. The rest of the guys snickered.

Violet immediately spun around, looking at each of the guys in turn before jabbing an accusing finger at them. "You all have one, too, don't you? A stuffed monster you have at home!" stated Violet.

"Uh...well, I might have a stuffed Drillroid at home..." mumbled Syrus, blushing.

"Aww..." Annie squealed happily.

"A good soldier doesn't sleep with a plushie..." Hassleberry said very seriously. "He has a blankie!"

Violet smiled happily and turned her gaze onto Jaden, Bastion, and Chazz. "Come on, spill it. We know you three have stuffed toys too," Violet said, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I've seen Jaden with a Winged Kuriboh plushie," Alexis grinned.

Jaden smiled. "Well, yeah...it's true..."

Bastion sighed. "I...had a teddy bear...Kukalaka..."

Violet squealed at the thought and stared at Chazz expectantly. Rosa and Alexis did the same, grinning eagerly to hear what kind of toy The Chazz had. "All right, Chazzy. Tell us, what makes you warm and fuzzy inside? Hm??"

Annie smiled. "Chazz...please tell us..."

Chazz owed Annie, so he swallowed. "Uh...I have a plush...Dark Witch..."

Violet grinned and prodded Chazz's arm. "I knew it. You're just a big softy, aren't you?"she asked. However, before he could answer, the ship's foghorn went off and the craft started moving. Of course, this scared the living daylights out of everyone, even those outside the 

small group. "THE ALIENS ARE INVADING!! DUCK AND COVER!!" yelled Violet, lifting Bastion's yellow blazer, hiding her head.

"HOLY CRAP!" Annie shouted.

"BLOODY HELL!" Bastion added.

"AUGGGGHH!" Jaden yelped.

"DANG IT!" Chazz screeched. Zane groaned softly.

"Dios mio...can they not turn down el volume un pequeño?" asked Rosa.

"You okay, Jaden?" asked Alexis. Syrus was still clutching onto Annie's blazer for dear life.

"...Have they started disintegrating us yet?" came Violet's muffled voice from underneath Bastion's blazer.

"Violet, it's okay...Nobody's landed. It was just the foghorn..." Annie said. "Hey guys, I have a great idea, and it hasn't been cool to do this since before most of us were born!"

"Oh, great, what?" Chazz groaned.

"Oh...darn. I got all excited for nothing," Violet whined, pulling her head out from under Bastion's jacket. Syrus sighed in relief and waited for Annie to explain her idea. Rosa glanced at Violet and rolled her eyes, using her hand to fix Violet's static-raised purple hair. "Thanks, Rosa!" Violet whispered, grinning.

"TO THE BOW OF THE SHIP!" Annie shouted enthusiastically. "Alexis, get Atticus!"

"Er...Annie, what in the world are you planning?" Bastion asked.

"I want us to do the 'King of the World' thing from 'Titanic.'" Annie flushed and continued, "I've always wanted to with a big group of...friends..."

"Yeah! Let's do it!!" yelled Violet. She grabbed Bastion with one hand and Annie with the other, before running off towards the bow of the ship.

"H-Hey, wait up!"called Syrus, running after them. Rosa grabbed Hassleberry and Alexis grabbed Jaden, the two couples following after the other two couples.

Zane saw the group of kids running toward the bow and decided to follow. Meanwhile, Atticus Rhodes approached his best friend curiously. "Um...what do you think they're doing, Atticus?" Zane asked, puzzled.

"I don't know. But since Violet and Annie are with them, I'm guessing it's gonna be crazy fun!" Atticus replied, grinning.

"Okay, everybody!" Annie called happily, and then noticed the older boys. "Hey Atticus and Zane! You're just in time! We're re-enacting a scene from Titanic with a twist!"

"I like twists! What's the twist, Annie??" asked Violet eagerly.

"Yeah, tell us! I can't wait!!" added Atticus, just as excited.

"We all have to get up one at a time and yell it, and then we'll all stand and hold our arms out on the bow..."

"Why don't you do it first, Annie? You were the one who came up with the idea," stated Violet. Truth was, she couldn't remember the scene, and would use Annie's display as an example.

"Okay," Annie said, getting to the railing and standing jauntily with her arms out. "I'M QUEEN OF THE WORLD!" she cheered. "Okay, who's next?"

"Bastion, you wanna go?" asked Violet. She wanted to hear that dreamy British accent of his yell out to the sunset. 'Uh-oh, hope no one saw me drooling...' she thought, sweat-dropping.

"Um...I'd like to wait, if I could..." he answered.

"Okay, I'll go!" Chazz volunteered. "I'M KING OF THE WORLD!" he shouted, and then fell backward on his butt.

"You okay, boss?" the Ojama brothers, his duel spirits asked, appearing next to him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Chazz groaned.

Violet snickered lightly and got an idea. "All right, I'LL go, then. But first, Bastion, promise you'll catch me if I fall?"

"I promise, Violet darling..."

"Good!" Violet walked up to the very edge of the railing, spreading her arms like wings. "I'M QUEEN OF THE-" Violet was about to fall back on purpose, but then the boat hit a wave and sent her flailing forward over the railing. "B-B-BASTION!!"

Bastion ran forward and caught her around the waist and dragged her back to safety. "What in Fermat's Last Theorem? Were you trying to imitate Kate Winslet?" he asked, so worried.

Violet's look of complete terror turned to one of confusion, and then became a sly grin. "I got you up here, didn't I?" Indeed, they were still on the bow, looking much like the couple from the movie. "Come on, say it..."

"Let's get you down, darling...After that, I doubt I could keep my balance just yet..."

"Okay, I'll do it..." Zane sighed. The pro duelist climbed up and got into position. "I'm KING OF THE PRO LEAGUES!!"

"No you're not. Yugi is," stated Violet bluntly.

"She has a point, Zane..." Syrus added. Even though Yugi didn't duel much anymore, he was still considered the King of Games. Meaning, since he was undefeated, he'd be the King of the Pro Leagues as well.

"Well, then," Jaden grinned as Zane got down, "I guess I have to change what I'm gonna yell..." He climbed up and yelled out, "I'M KING OF GAMES! SOMEDAY!!"

Syrus was just as nervous as Bastion, and decided to wait it out as long as possible. So, Rosa went up instead. And she decided to break the "Queen of" expression for one of her own. "I LOVE MI DINO-DYNAMIC BOYFRIEND!!"

Hassleberry grinned at this. "Well, then... I'M KING OF THE DINO DUELISTS AND I LOVE ROSA JIMENEZ!"

"Oh, tu silly!" laughed Rosa.

Alexis grinned as she thought of her own line. "Well, if Jaden's going to be the King of Games, then...I'M THE QUEEN OF GAMES!!"

Annie looked at Syrus... "I'll be right here, and I can swim...C'mon, Sy...please? Now?"

Syrus stared at his hands for a moment, but knew he couldn't resist a request from Annie. "A-All right...I'M GONNA BEAT ZANE SOMEDAY!!"

"You should try, bro..." Zane grinned. "Atticus, c'mon, your turn, dude."

"Well, it's about time! I'M THE MASTER OF LOVE, OH YEAH!!"

Everybody laughed. And then...it was Bastion's turn... One could almost hear the musical score of 'Titanic' as he took his position and held up his arms in triumph. The nervousness left his face and he yelled, "I'M KING OF THE WORLD!! WHOOO-HOO!!"

"That's my man!" called Violet, grinning. She ran up and tackled him, the railing being the only thing stopping them from tumbling into the water below.

"I'm starting to think she wants to fall over the railing," Syrus whispered to Annie.

Annie sighed. "Okay, everybody take a spot on the railing! Let's all hold our arms up and cheer!" The group did enthusiastically and when they were through, Zane ruffled his brother's hair affectionately.

Syrus smiled and went over to wrap his arms around Annie in a loving embrace. "Just to let you know, I didn't fall on purpose. That was courtesy of Mother Nature, who seems to like messing with me. Oh, and I didn't understand a word you said, either," explained Violet simply.

"That's all right, darling," Bastion said softly. "Perhaps we'll learn more about each other..."

"Right! I can see Domino City now, you guys!!" Violet yelled. She pointed ahead, the last bits of sun melting under the tall skyscrapers of the city.

"Yay...I think..." Annie said, turning very pale.

"All right! Home sweet home!" Jaden grinned.

"I can't wait, Jaden," Alexis smiled softly.

"Yeah! Just wait 'till mom and dad meet you two love birds," Atticus added, grinning mischievously.

"We still have un ways to go. All the way to Texas," Rosa stated, smiling.

Hassleberry sighed..."Yeah, we've still got to get on that plane..."

"Mum's probably made beef stew...I haven't had it in ages..." Bastion smiled.

"Beef stew! Sweet!!"Violet cheered excitedly.

"Great...home..." Chazz groaned, not looking forward to his summer at all.

"Little brother...Mom and Dad are waiting," Zane grinned wickedly.

"Yeah. They probably can't wait to meet...Annie? You okay??" Syrus asked, worried.

Then Hassleberry noticed Annie. "Private Annie?" Annie was starting to hyperventilate.

"Not again! Annie!! Snap out of it, girl!" yelled Violet. She grabbed her friend securely by the shoulders and shook her, purple hair whipping in the wind.

"Oh, no. She's not going to faint, is she?" Syrus asked worriedly.

Unfortunately, Annie did just that. "Thank God Mom's a doctor..." Zane groaned.

_And that, everyone is where we end Chapter II. Annie seems to faint easily. Is there a reason for it? And next, the gang will be meeting the parents. There are still humorous moments ahead, but there are dark times as well. I don't think it's at emo level; 15animefreak15 doesn't think so either. Anyway, read and review, everyone! Thank you!_


	3. Meet The Parents Part I

Chapter III: Meet The Parents Part I

_Welcome back, everyone, to another chapter of "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" Well, two authors are very pleased you're all enjoying the sequel to "A Guy's Worst Nightmare" so far! There will be warnings when a chapter has more sad stuff. We're not quite there yet, but 15animefreak15 and I will let you know when it gets there. Again this story will have humor, but it will also have some pain._

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own GX. 15animefreak15 owns Rosa and Violet, while Peach owns Annie.**_

_Authors' note: Last time, the group headed toward home and Annie passed out._

Violet groaned, as there was still about a mile or two left until they reached the docks. She slipped off her white and blue blazer, revealing the light purple sweater-vest underneath. "Well, might as well keep her comfortable." Violet folded up the blazer and placed it under Annie's head like a pillow.

"Thanks, Violet." Syrus said, embarrassed that he hadn't thought of that. Bastion pulled off his blazer and rolled it up, placing it under the girl's knees.

"Sy, I'm gonna get a medical kit," Jaden said, knowing where one was.

"All right. Thanks, Jaden," Syrus replied. He sat beside Annie, wondering sadly why he hadn't thought to do any of this and the others had. 'What kind of boyfriend am I?' he thought. Violet shivered as the wind picked up, cursing herself for not wearing her sleeved sweater.

"S-Stupid wind. I h-hate the c-cold..." grumbled Violet.

Jaden came back with the kit and handed it to Zane who knelt down next to Sy and the unconscious Annie. "Syrus, I need your help here, okay?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. What do I need to do?" Sy asked nervously.

Zane handed him a funny packet. "Twist that...It'll start getting cold and you can put it on her forehead. Then get that space blanket out of the kit and put it over her..."

"Alright..." Syrus twisted the packet, immediately feeling a cold rush enter his hands. He placed the packet on Annie's forehead, then pulled out the space blanket and placed it over her. "Is there anything else we can do?"

"Just talk to her and hold her hand..." Zane said calmly. "It's okay," he whispered, seeing that his little brother was upset. "You're doing all right." Syrus blushed, but nodded and grabbed Annie's hand from under the space blanket. Meanwhile, Violet had her arms crossed over her chest, whilst repeatedly slamming her head into the wall.

"Violet," Bastion asked softly, "are you quite all right?"

Violet turned away from the wall, a light red mark on her forehead. "Yep, just fine. I learned that slamming my head into the wall takes my mind off the cold," Violet replied, as if it was obvious.

Bastion gently put his arms around her. "I'll keep you warm, and then think of the smell of fresh biscuits...and warm beef stew..."

Violet wasn't sure if she was blushing from the hug, Bastion's warmth, or the sound of Hot stew. "All right. My head was getting sore, anyway." To show this she placed her forehead against his own soft sweater, breathing in the spicy scent of his cologne. Back with the others, Syrus had no idea what to say. What did one say to an unconscious person...who was your girlfriend??

Jaden sat next to Sy. "You don't know what to say...Just tell her anything...Oh, and I had somebody radio ahead...A doctor's gonna come on board and check on Annie. My mom."

What Jaden said about his mother didn't register, but talking did. "Uh..." Syrus blushed. "Y-You're gonna love mom and dad. They're r-really nice..." And finally Annie began to stir and squeezed her boyfriend's hand."Hey, she's waking up! Annie? Can you hear me??" Syrus squeezed her hand back, hoping she'd open her eyes.

Annie moaned softly. "S-Syrus?" she asked weakly as she opened her eyes.

"Oh good, you're awake. Are you alright, Annie? You fainted...again," he explained, grinning sheepishly.

"Oh, boy..." she groaned. "I...must've...oh, what did I do this time?"

Zane checked her pulse. "I think you hyperventilated..."

"Good to see you're alright, Anne-meister!" exclaimed Atticus happily. Of course. He'd given her a nickname, too. Joy.

"Thanks, Atticus..." Annie said softly. She tried to move but just couldn't manage it. "What did I do?"

"Well, Violet pointed out the city, and you went pale. You started hyperventilating and then, just...fainted," Syrus explained, frowning worriedly.

"I'm sorry...and it probably didn't help that I didn't really eat anything..." she admitted shamefacedly.

"What?? Why didn't you eat anything? That's not good," he asked, frowning. He wasn't mad at her; he was just worried.

"I got feeling queasy this morning, and I didn't want to throw up..." she added.

"Next time that happens, just eat something light. Like toast or cereal. I've gone through the same thing," explained Alexis. Rosa nodded in agreement. She'd gone through the same thing as well. Of course, her mother had told her different ways to cure it based on Spanish traditions.

Jaden nodded. "Mom says the same thing. Were you feeling sick this morning?"

Annie shook her head. "Nervous...really nervous..."

Bastion sighed. "That happened to me a few times, but Mum and Dad both said one needs to eat or it gets worse."Normally, Violet would have had some witty remark to make her best friend laugh and cheer-up. However, she had dozed off, using Bastion's chest as a pillow.

So Syrus spoke instead. "When we get home, you'll have to eat some dinner, okay? I don't want you to get worse..."

"Okay," Annie nodded weakly.

"Mom will have a lot of fun with you," Zane observed. "Did you tell her what Mom does for a living?" he asked his brother.

"Oh, yeah! She's a doctor," replied Syrus.

"Doctor?" Annie asked. "Sy..." She was smiling.

"Yeah?"

"You didn't tell me that...that's cool..."

She still looked really pale. "We'll have to move you slowly, Annie," Bastion said. "We'll have to get Mrs. Truesdale up here in addition to the other doctor, then. Could someone get her when we dock?" Zane and Jaden nodded.

Hassleberry smiled. "I'm glad I'll finally get to meet your mama, Private Truesdale."

Syrus blushed. "She's really nice. I missed her a lot at Duel Academy, and can't wait to see her. I'm sure she'll love to meet you, Annie," explained Syrus happily. Suddenly, the foghorn blew again as the ship docked, once again surprising everyone.

"AAAHHH!!" yelled Violet, jumping into Bastion's arms, eyes wide from the rude awakening. Rosa winced and covered her ears, Alexis grabbing hold of Jaden's blazer in shock. Syrus cried out and closed his eyes, squeezing Annie's hand so tightly that the circulation was cut off. Atticus had somehow wandered over to the origin of the noise, and was literally blown off his feet when the foghorn sounded.

"Sy, ow!" Annie groaned, and then put a hand to her head.

"WHAT THE BLOODY..!" Bastion shouted.

"NOT AGAIN!" Zane yelled.

"DANG IT!" Chazz yelled.

"I'M GONNA RIP THAT THING UP LIKE KLEENEX AT A SNOT PARTY!" Hassleberry groused. That last horn, though, was the signal before the boat docked.

"We're home!" Jaden shouted.

Violet was clinging to Bastion for dear life, heart beating twice as fast as usual. "Senor Hassleberry, this es no time for un fiesta. We need to get off of el boat," replied Rosa calmly.

"Oh...right," muttered Alexis, releasing Jaden's blazer.

"Oh, sorry, Annie!" gasped Syrus, loosening his grip. Atticus was unconscious, having been blown all the way back to the group.

"I'm okay..." Annie sighed as her hand got some circulation back. "Oh, I have a headache."

Zane, meanwhile, along with Chazz, moved over to Atticus. "You moron," Zane groaned.

"How does he do that?" Chazz sighed, as the surfer boy began to stir.

Bastion, meanwhile, hugged Violet. "They need it that loud."

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just...don't like being surprised awake..." Violet stated, letting out a sigh. Her heart rate finally slowed, and she dropped down to stand on her own two feet.

"Hola!" called Rosa.

"Rosa, who are you talking to?" Alexis queried.

"Your parents, on el dock," stated Rosa, pointing. Indeed, almost everyone's parents were standing on the dock, waiting for their children to come down.

"HI MOM!" Jaden yelled at the top of his lungs, running to the railing and waving like a madman.

Zane got up. "Sy, you stay with Annie. Jaden, we need to get my mom!"

"Right. First, we have to get you back on your feet," Syrus replied to his brother and then speaking to Annie, smiling softly.

"Oh, yeah! I'LL BE RIGHT DOWN MOM!" A woman on the dock with hair like Jaden's seemed to be laughing.

"We'll see my mom and dad when we get to Seattle, Sy," Annie said, still holding his hand.

Bastion was at the railing as well. "Oh, there they are! HI MUM! HI DAD!"

"MAMA! DADDY!" Hassleberry shouted, too.

"Hiya Bastion's parents!" called Violet. She frowned a little though, wishing her parents were here.

"Hi, mom! Hi, dad!!" called Alexis, waving happily.

Atticus hopped onto his feet, rushing over to the railing as if nothing had happened. "MOM!! DAD!! HEY!!"

As soon as the gangplank hit the dock, Jaden and Zane ran down quickly. "Mom!" Zane called and for the first time, Jaden saw Syrus's mother. The odd thing was he'd seen her before, because she was a dead ringer for her youngest son. There were differences, though. Her aqua-blue hair was pulled back into a bun and she had clear feminine characteristics. She was also taller.

"Hi, boys. Where's Syrus?" asked Darla Truesdale.

"Mom, we need you on the boat. Sy's girlfriend passed out...Oh, this is Jaden Yuki..."

Jaden came up to his best friend's mom and held out his hand. "Hi, Mrs. Truesdale. Yeah, Sy's girlfriend passed out...again..."

"It's nice to meet you, Jaden. I'm Darla," she greeted, shaking his hand. "She fainted you say? Does that happen a lot??" Darla was about to start up the gangplank when something flew past her head. "What was that?!" she gasped.

"Sorry! My shoe fell off!!" called Violet, hopping on one foot. Did they really want to ask?

"Violet..." Bastion was struggling not to laugh. "I think you almost hit Syrus and Zane's mum!"

Meanwhile, Jaden heard a voice as he was about to head back up to the boat. "JADEN!" He felt himself being tackle-hugged.

"MOM!" he yelped happily, turning around and into the hug. "I'm glad to see you but I need to get back up there! Syrus needs me."

"Well, I'm coming with you, then." The woman looked like a feminine version of Jaden. She was slightly taller, but she had the same brown eyes and hair.

"Would you stop laughing and help me?! I think I'm gonna faaa-aaa-aaa-aall!!" gasped Violet. She lost her balance and started rolling down the gangplank mid-word, crashing into the Yuki family like a bowling ball.

"Uh...should I...?" asked Darla, glancing up at the boat.

Violet's hand waved from underneath the pile. "Go on! I'm fine!!"

"VIOLET!" Bastion shouted, going after her and falling on top of the pile.

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned.

_And that's Part I of "Meet the Parents." We had to break what was originally conceived as one chapter into two parts. That means you get a new chapter much quicker! So read and review this chapter and stay tuned for the next one! 15animefreak15 and Peach Wookiee thank you very much for reading and reviewing in advance!_


	4. Meet The Parents Part II

Chapter IV: Meet the Parents Part II

_And now we, Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15 proudly present Part II of Meet the Parents in "Summer Love, Summer Fears." When last we left, Violet had caused a bit of an accident and bowled Jaden and his mother over. Zane's reaction was predictable. If you're wondering why he's involved in this tale, check out Peach Wookiee's tale, "The Path to Redemption," which exists in this timeline. Thank you! And now…on with the story!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. We just own Violet, Rosa and Annie. We also have shown the parents of the GX kids.**_

Jaden and his mother came up as Darla moved back to the pile to check for injuries. Jaden's mom got up from the pile, looking not much the worse for wear.

"You must be Sy's mom! I'm Jayda Yuki," she said, holding out her hand to shake. "Sweet to finally meet you!"

"Um...hello..." Bastion said, getting up and helping Violet to her feet. He tugged down his green shirt in a dignified manner, and also politely proffered his hand to the mothers. "Bastion Misawa. It's a pleasure to meet both of you. Terribly sorry I fell on you and your son, Mrs. Yuki..."

"Yep! Sorry about that!! I'm so clumsy. Now where's my shoe..." mumbled Violet. She started to search around when a hand clasped her shoulder.

"Now hold on a minute. I'm Mrs. Truesdale, and I think you should sit down for a bit. Just look at you," authorized Darla. Violet had a large bump on her head from the tumble down the gangplank, and one of her knees was skinned and bleeding a little.

"Hey, guys, what's taking so long?" called Syrus. He'd left Annie to go to the railing, since they seemed to be taking forever to get up there.

"There was a Violet-related incident, little brother," Zane called up, and Sy beheld the accident scene. "Mom's just mopping it up." Hassleberry, Atticus and Chazz all looked at each other from their position on the railing and started cracking up.

"Fine. But I won't like it," replied Violet. She pouted and sat, though in truth felt better while sitting down because of her headache caused by the bump.

"Don't worry, Syrus! I'm coming up!! You just stay there, I'll be back in a bit to fix you up," stated Darla. She finally walked up the gangplank, walking over to kneel beside Annie. "Hi, I'm Syrus' mother, Darla. I'm guessing that you're Annie?"

Annie nodded. "I...guess I keep scaring Sy...I feel so bad..." "Oh, sweetie, don't blame yourself. My boy worries about everything. You just have to take better care of yourself is all. 

Now then, why don't you try standing?" explained Darla, smiling softly. Annie tried valiantly to sit up, but since she hadn't eaten and her head hurt, getting up simply wasn't an option.

Hassleberry, planning ahead, had found a wheelchair for emergencies and gotten it. "Maybe we could use this, ma'am?" he asked smiling.

"That would be great! Tell me, what's your name?" Darla asked, standing.

"Hassleberry, ma'am," the Ra Yellow with the cut-off jacket said, pulling the doctor into a bear hug. "Codename Tyranno, but everybody calls me Hassleberry. Oh, this is my girl, Rosa," he said, introducing his girlfriend. "And I need to tell ya...Sy's quite a tough little guy...Need help, Private Annie?" he asked. Annie nodded, so the big boy scooped her up in his arms and then set her in the wheelchair with the space blanket on her legs. "It's wonderful to meet you two. Syrus has told me so much about you, Hassleberry. Oh, Syrus! Come over here and push Annie's wheelchair, would you?" called Darla.

"Coming!" replied Syrus. He ran over, sending Annie a smile before going behind the wheelchair and pushing her down the gangplank.

Meanwhile, Atticus elbowed Chazz, a grin on his face. "Hey, Chazzy, you got any plans?"

And Chazz looked at Atticus. "Other than chilling in an apartment this summer because my jerk wad brothers disowned me? No..."

"Well then...WANNA HANG AT OUR PLACE?" asked Atticus excitedly, his grin widening.

Chazz looked at Atticus, stunned. "You're...inviting me over? Really?!"

"Of course! Dad always says, 'the more the merrier!!'" Atticus assured happily.

Chazz just stared for a second at Atticus. "You...actually want me to hang out with you..? You...want me around?" The idea seemed very alien to the raven-haired gray-eyed boy.

Bastion, at this point, was sitting with Violet and she had bandages over the injured parts of her anatomy. "You never seem to have a dull moment, do you, darling?"

"I should say not, Bastion..." said a voice with an accent like Bastion's.

Violet "eep'd" in surprise, quickly jumping to her feet. "Ouch. Bad idea, bad idea!" she yelled, clutching her sore head.

"Oh, terribly sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," said the man. He looked like an older version of Bastion, but wore glasses andhad slowly graying hair.

"HEY PRIVATE MISAWA! HERE COMES YOUR JACKET!" Hassleberry threw it down in a wad and it hit Bastion in the face.

"Senor Hassleberry...tu could have aimed un pequeno mas carefully. HERE IT COMES, SENORITA VIOLET!!" yelled Rosa. She threw Violet's blazer, the wad hitting the purple-haired girl in the face as well. "Oops...heh."

The couple on the dock crashed down. Bastion sat up a bit dazed, as did Violet. Bastion's dad raised his eyebrows. "Just another day in the life, Dad," Bastion explained. "Oh, this is my girlfriend, Violet Haverbrook. Violet, this is my father..."

Violet laughed a little, then groaned and fell onto her back. "Hi...Bastion's dad...ow..." she greeted weakly.

"Hello, Violet. I'm Hiro. You've got some energy there," he laughed kindly.

Atticus, meanwhile, had lost patience with the Ojama duelist. "Yes, yes! I want you around!! Now come ON!!" yelled Atticus. He grabbed Chazz's wrist and ran down the gangplank, accidentally running over Violet on his way to his parents.

Violet coughed, then put up a weak thumbs-up. "I'm okay. I give you a six for timing, and a seven for style, Atty..." she called hoarsely.

Chazz barely registered being dragged. "Um...Atticus?"

"Yeah?" Atticus replied, grinning enthusiastically.

"Why did you want to invite me over?" He was looking at the surfer boy very seriously. This wasn't the typical cool Chazz.

"'Cause we're pals, duh! What're buds for?" Atticus grinned and gave Chazz a bear hug, before running over to nearly tackle-hug his father. "Hey, Dad!"

Chazz chose not to press the issue and for the first time, beheld Atticus and Alexis's mom and dad. "Hey, kiddo, Mom and I missed you!" Jack Rhodes grinned. Other than his build which Atticus shared, Jack Rhodes was the spitting image of his daughter. Meanwhile a woman who had Alexis's figure but Atticus's brown hair and eyes stood close to her husband, also smiling. "Who's this, Atty?" she asked warmly.

"This is Chazz Princeton. He's a buddy of ours. Hey mom, dad, could he come over for dinner? PLEASE??" asked Atticus.

Meanwhile, back on the boat, Rosa and Hassleberry were the only ones still standing on the deck. "Perhaps we should get going. We do have un plane to catch..." stated Rosa, sighing. They were the only ones who still had a ways to go and couldn't stay in Domino City.

There were lots of hugs at the gangplank. "We can all call and IM each other, guys. No way we're separatin' the platoon..." Hassleberry said, bear-hugging his friends. "Thanks, Sarge..." he said, hugging Jaden last.

"Air...AIR!!" the smaller boy yelped.

Rosa had given all of the guys hugs, and saved the other girls for last. "I am going to miss tu chicas! Group hug!!" she yelled. Violet, Alexis, and Rosa all leaned into a hug with Annie, before Rosa returned to Hassleberry's side.

"Maybe we'll be able to see each other before next year at Duel Academy!" stated Violet, grinning. She seemed pretty sure that they would...what was she planning?

Annie sighed...'I just had to end the school year in a wheelchair...' "We'll keep in touch, guys," she said out loud. "I'm praying for you, Rosa. I think your dad will like Hassleberry...and I know his parents will love you!" Sure enough, another set of parents was making their way to Hassleberry.

"Whoa..." Violet's jaw dropped. Hassleberry's father wasn't exactly your average guy; he was tall and well-built from his years serving his country.

"Eh? Oh! Hola," Rosa gasped, spinning around.

"Howdy! Son, you didn't tell me what a gorgeous young lady you were bringin' home from Duel Academy! I'm Dean Hassleberry, and it's a pleasure to meet you, young lady! I hope my son has been an officer and a gentleman with you?" he asked curiously.

Rosa blushed fiercely, before quickly nodding. "Si, a little too much of un gentleman. It took some convincing to get him to kiss me," explained Rosa, grinning.

"You must be, like, the BIGGEST guy I've ever seen! COOL!!" Violet yelled, eyes wide.

"Uh...hi, Dad. Mama!" Hassleberry greeted and swung his mother into a bear hug. The other kids and parents looked on in shock.

"Now I know where he gets it..." Jaden said softly.

Annie saluted. "And who might you be, little lady?" the retired four-star general with twinkling dark eyes and a square jaw asked, bending down to her level.

"Annie Hanson, General. Hassleberry's told us all about you and how you fought in Afghanistan. Thank you for serving. May I...give you a hug, sir?"

"You bet, little darlin'," he answered, being surprisingly gentle.

He was looking at her in the wheelchair, so Hassleberry told his father, "She passed out on the boat, Dad. She can walk. Take care of her, Private Truesdale..."

"Right. I'll see you later, Hassleberry..." replied Syrus. Violet suddenly hugged Dean, and seemed to be stretching her arms for some reason.

"Eh, what are tu doing, Senorita Violet?" asked Rosa, confused.

"Well, I wanted a hug, too. Annie can't get them all. I'm also seeing if I can reach my hands around," she replied bluntly.

"Private Truesdale?" the general asked. "Is this the tough little fella you were talking about, Ty--ranno?" It seemed he had started out to say a different name. The big man came around to Syrus, smiling. "My boy says you're pretty tough..." And then the general locked Sy in a bear hug.

"Well, I'm not all that tou-gah! Can't...breathe..." Syrus gasped. A few popping noises could be heard as his back cracked in several places.

"You were tough enough to stand up to my boy and teach him that bein' a good fightin' brother means you don't take your fightin' brother's best friend..."

"Heh, thanks, sir," Syrus blushed a little, not used to getting compliments. _GRRRRROWL!!_ Syrus cried out in surprise and jumped behind Annie's wheelchair, peeking over it in search of the noise.

"Uh...sorry. My stomach's complaining again," Violet stated, blushing.

"Hiro! What is taking so long? I'll bet Bastion and his girlfriend are starving!" said a merry voice. A dark-haired fully Asian woman came walking up.

"Oh, everyone, this is my mum, Katai Misawa," Bastion introduced.

"So...how in the heck did you get the accent?" Jaden blurted out. Everybody, including his mother, looked at the brunette Slifer boy.

"Jaden! That was rude," scolded Alexis, frowning.

"I wanna know, too! I love your accent," squealed Violet, wrapping her arms around Bastion in a tight embrace.

Hiro, however, smiled. "Perfectly good question, Jaden, my boy... I was born here in the States, but my family spent a great deal of time abroad. My mum, Bastion's Gran, is British and so I lived in England for quite some time. I returned here as a teenager and then, when I was in college, I went over to study at Oxford for a bit. And then I met Katai there, and we married and had Bastion. He was born in London and he started learning to talk there, so the accent stuck."

"So that's why I speak Brit," Bastion added, flushing.

"Man, and I thought I didn't need to study English...I'm not going to England," Jaden said.

"Jaden, you speak English!" Alexis groaned, laughing.

"I know..." the boy grinned.

_GRRRRRROWL!!_ "Hush, you!" Violet yelled, glaring at her stomach.

Rosa giggled then glanced at her watch, face dropping in horror. "Ay, ay, ay! We are going to miss our plane!!" she exclaimed, panicking.

"All right. See you guys later!" Hassleberry yelled as he and Rosa ran with his mom and dad to the waiting taxi.

Jaden came up to the Rhodes family a little bit nervously. "Um...hi, Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes. I'm Jaden Yuki and this is my mom, Jayda..."

"Why hello, Jaden. I'm Jean Louise, but my friends call me Scout. You seem like a very nice boy," greeted Scout warmly.

"I'm John Patrick Rhodes, but everyone calls me Jack," greeted Alexis's father, laughing a little.

"It suits you, dad," Alexis said, grinning.

"I'm Jayda..." the female Yuki introduced herself to the Rhodes family. "Sweet to meet you...Wait a minute...you work at Domino Children's, don't you, Scout?" she asked curiously.

"Why, yes. I'm a pediatric surgeon. Jack here is a stockbroker," explained Scout.

"Hey, kiddo, did you say your friend's name was 'Princeton'?" asked Jack.

"Yeah, Dad. His brothers are terrible, though. If that's what you were going to ask about," replied Atticus, frowning.

"Really? Is that true??" Jack asked, turning to Chazz.

Chazz nodded. "I kind of don't want to talk about it right now, Mr. Rhodes..."

"I understand. Perfectly acceptable, Chazz," replied Jack. Normally, he would have called him 'Mr. Princeton', but he had a feeling that wouldn't be a good thing to do this time around.

"Oh, what are we doing standing here on the dock when dinner's waiting at home? So then, would you, your husband and Jaden like to join us all for dinner, Jayda??" Scout invited.

"Please, Mom?" And then Jaden noticed. "Dad's still at work, isn't he?"

Jayda nodded. "Hisoka's such a workaholic...Oh, Scout, I'm surprised we haven't met up! I work in Pediatric Oncology. What part of the hospital do you work in?"

"The east wing. Though, I think they were planning to move me to the west one instead. What exactly does your husband do?" asked Scout. The two women had started for the car while talking.

"I think your mother just found another friend, Atticus. She's like a magnet sometimes," laughed Jack.

"Yeah, but that's why we love her! Come on, Chazz," called Atticus as they started following after them.

"Jaden, I really like your mom. I hope I can meet your dad, too," stated Alexis, smiling happily.

"Maybe he'll get off work soon...He owns his own law firm..." Jaden explained. "But I think Mom and Dad's brains skipped a generation." Then Jaden got a happy look on his face. "That means our kids'll be geniuses!"

"Oh, Jaden. Sometimes I wonder if the brains didn't skip a generation at all," laughed Alexis. She kissed him briefly on the lips, then took his hand and left with the others. Now, only Violet, Bastion, Annie, Zane, Syrus, and the four parents remained on the dock.

"Well, I guess we'll be going," Bastion said to Violet.

"Good. 'Cause my head hurts...and my knee, too. I'll miss you, Annie! Promise you'll call me tomorrow on my cell??" Violet hugged her best friend, acting as if they'd be separated for years.

"Uh..." Syrus mumbled, sweat-dropping.

Annie hugged Violet. "I'll call...and we can IM, too when you're in Ohio and I'm back in Seattle..."

Zane shook Bastion's hand. "You're in for some fun, pal...you have to meet Violet's parents..."

"Oh, my parents aren't who he has to worry about. More like my brother. I swear he's evil!" Violet exclaimed, waving her arms.

"He can't be all that bad, Violet..." replied Syrus.

"He gave me a swirly when I was six years old." Violet countered, pouting.

"Ewww..." Annie said, grimacing. Her own brother wouldn't dare do that to her.

"You're telling me! Stupid brother," grumbled Violet. Her stomach growled again. "Stupid stomach..." she added.

"We should get going. Right, mom?" asked Syrus.

"Right. Hope to see you two again sometime," said Darla, heading for the car.

"Yes, it was nice meeting you," Hiro added, smiling.

And so the Misawas and Violet headed to their car while Jaden, his mom and Alexis got into the Yukis' car and Scout, Jack, Atticus and Chazz piled into the Rhodes' family car. Syrus pushed Annie in her wheelchair to his family's car where the boys' father was waiting.

"You must be Annie," he greeted as she came up. "Zane, take the wheelchair to the back of the car, okay?" he said as he easily scooped up Annie and got her into the backseat. Syrus sat in back beside Annie, taking her hand and squeezing it a little.

Violet sighed in relief when she and Bastion climbed into the back seat of his parents' car, rubbing her sore head where a bandage covered the bump.

Chazz was quiet as Scout waved to Jayda so the Yukis could follow... 'They actually want me here...' he thought. Atticus grinned and nudged Chazz, pointing out the window. Jaden was making funny faces out the back window of the Yukis' car.

Annie grinned and managed to move a bit and made faces back at the would-be King of Games.Violet finally noticed everyone making faces and grinned, pulling down her lower eyelid to give them all her famous "stick out your tongue" face. Syrus giggled at all of the funny faces, until the cars split up. Their car had turned left, the Misawa's car had gone straight, and the last two cars had turned right. Luckily, Atticus was still able to makes funny faces back at Jaden.

Bastion had made a choice face at his friends. "I have never done that before," he admitted to Violet. Jaden, in his car, cracked up. "Oh, sweet! Bastion has to show me how to do that!"

"I think I'm rubbing off on you, Bastion. I mean, just look at how much you've changed recently!" laughed Violet. "Jaden, you sure know how to lighten a mood," replied Alexis, giggling. "How do you think Bastion did that, Chazz??" asked Atticus, envious.

Chazz hadn't been paying attention. "Huh? What happened?"

"Aw, don't tell me you missed that! It was the best collection of silly faces I've ever seen!!" gasped Atticus, shocked.

"Oh...sorry..." Chazz was distracted.

"It's alright. I'm sure we'll do it again. Hey, look! It's out house!!" exclaimed Atticus excitedly. Alexis had said the same thing in the Yuki's car, as they approached a two-story, white house with a large front yard and backyard.

_And this is where we must end the chapter. Everyone met the parents without getting seriously embarrassed, though Bastion will have some time before he meets Violet's family in Ohio, as Sy has a while before he meets Annie's parents. Hassleberry will be meeting Rosa's parents in a short time. How will the dinner at the Rhodes family home go? And what's up with Chazz? Find out next time in "Dinner and Truth," which will have some definite serious moments. Read and review and stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	5. Dinner and Truth

Chapter V: Dinner and Truth

_Welcome back, everyone, to the next chapter in "Summer Love, Summer Fears." The first families we're dealing with are the Rhodes and Yuki families along with Chazz Princeton. Last chapter, something seemed off about our moody dark-haired rich kid. This is where the story takes a slight turn tempering comedy with darker emotion. Chazz might seem a bit…out of sorts for lack of a better term, but we authoresses both hope that you, oh faithful reviewers, still like this and our other tales anyway! We get addicted to the dings that let us know we have emails and reviews. Anyway, on with the story!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX and we doubt we will in the future. We just own this version of the Yugi-verse that we created and our OCs. Thank you!**_

"All right!" Jaden yelled happily. "Isn't this great, Mom?! Call Dad!"

"Okay, sweetie..." Jayda said, calling Hisoka Yuki. Meanwhile, Chazz looked up. The house was smaller than he was used to, but it had warmth about it.

Hisoka was in his office, putting away a few law books he'd used when his phone rang. "Hello, this is the office of Hisoka Yuki."

"Hi, honey!" Jayda said happily. "I've gotten Jay-Jay. Oh, and we're at dinner at his fiancée's tonight..."

"Ah, I see. I was going to leave in a few minutes, anyway. You caught me just in time. I'll just need the address..." He got it from her. "All right, be there in a bit. Love you, Sugar Jay."

"Love you too, honey..." Jayda said, hanging up. "Daddy's coming, Jaden..."

"Yes!" Jaden said, pumping his fist.

Chazz, meanwhile, climbed quietly out of the car. Normally, he would've said something about Jaden yelling, but he just didn't seem to want to talk. "Is he always like this, Atticus?" Jack Rhodes asked quietly. Alexis gave her trademark grin at Jaden's excitement and climbed out of the car, frowning a little at Chazz's strange behavior.

"No, usually he's a lot more talkative. I'm not sure what's wrong with him..." Atticus answered, also frowning.

"Boss?" Ojama Yellow probed. Chazz just wouldn't talk, so the little Ojama flew over to Jaden. "Jaden, somethin's wrong with the boss!"

"What is it, Ojama Yellow?"

"We don't know...When I talk to him, Chazz gets grumpy, but he's not even talking!"

"Jaden...?" asked Alexis. She knew he was talking to duel spirits, but couldn't hear what they were saying.

"Hey, sweetie, are you feeling all right?" Scout asked Chazz worriedly.

Chazz sighed. "I guess, Scout..." He seemed sad.

"Well, if you ever need to talk about anything, we're all ears. Don't even hesitate to ask," she whispered. She unlocked the door and they all walked inside, Scout rushing to the kitchen to get the food.

Jaden whispered to Alexis, "He's upset about something. Ojama Yellow's worried."

"Jaden?" Jayda asked.

"Just chatting with the Duel Monsters, Mom...Chazz sees them, too..."

"Oh..." Jayda answered.

"Come on, the dining room's this way, everyone," stated Jack. He led them into a nice dining room with a sliding door that led to the back porch. The sun was just setting.

"Thanks for having us," Jaden said happily. The kitchen, living room and dining room were wide open to each other, so everyone could talk easily.

"Man, Scout, I can't believe we haven't met before..." Jayda commented.

"I know. I guess we just missed each other. Funny how things work," replied Scout. She carried in the roast, already sliced from before she and Jack had headed out to pick up Alexis and Atticus.

"That looks great, mom!" Alexis stated.

"All right!" Jaden said and then there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it. Kids, why don't you help your mother?" stated Jack. He walked to the front door and opened it, smiling at who he guessed was Jaden's dad. "Hello there. I'm John Patrick Rhodes, but you can call me Jack. You're Jaden's father, aren't you?" he greeted the raven-haired, dark-eyed man who had a definite glint of humor in his eyes. He was a somewhat reserved man, but knew how to laugh.

"Yes, that would be me. I'm Hisoka. I'm not interrupting dinner, am I?" he asked worriedly.

"Oh no, no. Come on in. You're just in time." Jack led Hisoka into the dining room, just as the rest of the food was set on the table. In addition to the roast, there were mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and biscuits with butter.

"Hey, Dad!" Jaden cheered happily, getting up and tackling his father.

"Hey, careful now, Jay-Jay! This place may not be as tackle-proof as our house," laughed Hisoka, ruffling Jaden's hair. Everyone sat down and dug in, conversation kicking up around the table.

"Man, you guys should've come for parents' day, Mom and Dad! You need to see my dorm room!" Jaden said. "And I could've shown you guys my chilling tree!"

"What have we been missing?" Scout asked. "And how exactly did you kids get engaged? Atticus wasn't there, and Jaden, my daughter didn't tell me anything…"

"Mom…" Alexis growled, pouting a little bit.

"Well, it's like this…" Jaden said. "It started when someone hit a ball at Lex and then it hit Dr. Crowler and he got mad and blamed me…I shouldn't have called him a Cyclops…"

"Jaden Kiyo Yuki…" Jayda growled slightly, her eyes snapping. "You called your teacher a Cyclops?" The Irish blood in Jayda Erin O'Shaunnessy Yuki's veins was stirring, and Jaden knew he'd better calm his mom down fast. Hisoka knew it too, and was prepared to shield his son, if necessary.

"I don't know why, but I did. And I ended up in trouble, which is how I ended up dueling Harrington Rosewood. He got mad because I was talking to Lex and said she should be his fiancée and demanded that I duel him for the privilege. I didn't let on that I knew what it meant because…well, I didn't want to win her like some anted up card. So I…played dumb and asked what a fiancée meant."

"I didn't tell him the truth," Alexis added, laughing a little bit. "I guess I figured Jaden would find out eventually or Sy would tell him. But then things kept happening, so I just let it ride. Anyway, Jayda, Hisoka, Mom, Dad, that's our story."

"Well, that's not the way your father proposed to me," Jayda said fondly, "but it seems it worked well…"

"Definitely unconventional," Scout agreed. "Chazz...what's your dorm room like?" she asked.

"It's...okay, I guess..." the boy said without his usual bravado.

"You guess?!" Jaden asked in surprise. "You have a bowling alley in there!"

"It's probably the same size as the two floors of our house combined!"Alexis joked. Jack had yet to join in on the conversation, deep in thought about something.

"So this is the young lady that stole my son's heart, huh?" Hisoka Yuki asked, looking at Alexis. "From what Jaden's told us, you're quite a duelist..."

Alexis blushed at the compliment, and then grinned when the next topic came up. "Yeah. They called me the Queen of Obelisk Blue."

Scout laughed lightly. "My little baby girl, a queen. How sweet."

Atticus laughed, nearly choking on his biscuit. "I never did show you guys those pictures from the festival, did I?" He got a mischievous grin on his face. Alexis, however, looked about ready to kill her big brother.

"Oh, yeah! Our first year! I couldn't decide what to wear for Duel Monster Spirit Day!" Jaden started laughing. "But Lex looked really pretty, didn't she, Chazz? Chazz?" But the other boy was staring off into space.

"Atty, why don't you show everyone those pictures? Chazz, mind helping me take these dishes into the kitchen?"asked Jack as he stood. Atticus nodded in understanding, ushering everyone else out of the dining room and out onto the porch.

"I thought you burned those..." Alexis whispered to her brother.

"Hehehe, I had extras, Lexi. See, here she is in her costume!"stated Atticus, holding up some pictures.

Meanwhile, Chazz got up quietly with Jack and carried the dishes into the kitchen. "Yeah, Jack?" the boy asked quietly.

Jack leaned against the counter. "Chazz, we all know something's wrong. Please, at least tell me. I want to know if I can help. I promise I won't tell anyone else. I just can't stand to see any child, no matter how old, depressed like this," explained Jack, tone showing his honest worry. And then Chazz threw himself against the large man, crying hard, which for Chazz meant quiet tears with bobbing shoulders.

Jack blinked slightly in surprise, but then did what any parent would and pulled Chazz into a hug. "Shhh...It's all right, easy. Just calm down, everything's going to be fine..."

Meanwhile, out on the porch... "Mindy, Jaz and you looked cool, Lex! I looked like a dork!" Jaden was laughing.

"No, you were just being yourself, Jay-Jay," his mother commented. "He had such a hard time deciding what he wanted to be for Halloween, Scout..."

"I remember that. He ended up going as a space-Godzilla-cowboy," stated Hisoka, causing everyone to laugh.

Meanwhile, Chazz seemed to be calming down, so Jack returned to the subject at hand. "Just tell me what's wrong, Chazz. I promise, whatever it is, it'll be okay. Everything will turn out all right..." Chazz just buried against Jack. He couldn't even remember being hugged and really loved.Jack sighed, deciding to wait a little longer and just keep Chazz in this hug. At least it seemed to calm him...wait, was that it? Maybe...it was worth a shot, anyway. "Chazz...are you upset because your brothers disowned you? Do you want to have a normal family like Alexis, Atticus, Jaden, and the others??"The boy managed a nod, not trusting himself to speak. Jack sighed and hugged Chazz a little tighter, thoughts racing through his head. He personally wouldn't mind having Chazz stay with them, but he was unsure about Scout.And they might need to fill out some kind of legal documents, or some other difficult nonsense.

And then, the Ojama brothers in their spirit forms flew to Jaden. "Jaden?" they asked.

"Huh? What is it, guys?" he asked the little creatures.

"We know what's wrong with the boss..."

"Jaden? What is it??"asked Alexis. By now everyone knew that he was talking to duel spirits.

Jaden stood up and looked through the window and saw Chazz being hugged. "What the..? Chazz is crying!" He looked at the Ojamas. "Why, guys?"

Ojama Black answered, "He's sad 'cause of...well..."

"'Cause he wants a family!" exclaimed Ojama Green impatiently. Jaden got up and headed into the house, followed by Atticus and Alexis.

"Dad?" called Alexis quietly. She peeked into the kitchen, Chazz still locked in her father's strong embrace.

"Lexi, I..." Jack began. But he just couldn't think of the right words to say.

"Chazz...it's okay, man," Jaden said. "The Ojamas filled us in."

Chazz sucked in a deep breath. "Traitors," he muttered, giving the little creatures a slightly angry look. _Who am I kidding, though?_ he thought. "You don't know what it's like," he said tightly, now looking at Jaden, his eyes red from crying. "You guys have families..."

Alexis walked over to Chazz, looking at him softly for a moment before hugging him as well. "Chazz, all you had to do was say something. We're all here for you..."

Atticus nodded, smiling a little. "All the way, Chazzy."

And Jaden tackled Chazz. "We love you, man!" the brown-haired boy said, giving the black-haired boy an enthusiastic bear hug.

"SLACKER, I CAN'T BREATHE!" Chazz shouted.

"Then how are you talking?" Jaden countered, laughing.

Everyone laughed, including Jack. "I'll leave you kids in here. I'm going to go outside and have a talk with the others." He left the kitchen and entered the dining room, walking outside onto the back porch.

"Jack? Is everything all right??" asked Scout worriedly.

"I don't know, Scout, I..." he sighed.

Jayda and Hisoka both sighed. "Jaden's told us some things...he said in his e-mails last year that Chazz's brothers have been...really mean to him," Jayda said.

"I heard rumors around the office that they'd disowned him, but didn't think it was true. Now...I don't know what to think. Poor kid, alone with no family," Jack sighed again, running his fingers through his hair tiredly.

"Jaden said they did, but only after they'd cut the camera feed," Hisoka added. "And they got physical with him... Chancellor Shepherd called me and said my son stood up to them..."

"If only we could do something..."whispered Scout, frowning.

"It's amazing how cruel some people can be. If only there was something we could do," Jack growled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Our first priority should be Chazz. He really needs a family. A boy his age shouldn't be living all on his own," Scout said firmly. "He's just about 17, but even so…he's still a baby…"

Hisoka looked thoughtful. "You could have legal custody of him...and I think I might have a way..."

"Oh yes, you're a lawyer. It completely slipped my mind. But I digress. You say it's possible for Scout and me to gain custody of him?" asked Jack hopefully.

"I think so...but we need to find out if the Academy's security cameras were working in that arena that day...Maybe we'll call Kaiba Corp... The other thing is because of his age, he can tell a judge what he wants and the judge is more likely to listen to him."

"Ah, I see now. We won't be able to reach Kaiba Corp this late at night. It'll have to wait until tomorrow. However, Scout and I will ask if Chazz would like to stay the night," explained Jack. They walked back inside, only to see the four teens fast asleep on the living room furniture.

Chazz was sleeping against Atticus on the couch, while Alexis and Jaden were sleeping on the huge overstuffed recliner.

"Aw, look at that..." Jayda smiled, putting her arm around Hisoka. "Jaden's such a sound sleeper..."

And Jaden muttered in his sleep, "I play Winged Kuriboh in Attack Mode..."

Alexis muttered just a split second after, "Attack directly, Cyber Tutu..."

Scout laughed quietly, Jack's arm around her shoulders. "How sweet. They're having a dream duel..."she whispered. Atticus seemed to be going through the motion of signing autographs in his sleep.

Chazz muttered, "XYZ Dragon Cannon, blow Slade away..."

"Poor boy. I'll go get some extra blankets from upstairs for them." Scout quietly left the living room, leaving the other three parents behind.

"Would you two mind if Jaden stayed here for the night? They just look so peaceful..." Jack whispered.

"Oh, no...He'll be happier if he wakes up here...Besides, I think we'll probably have our kids going back and forth all summer," Hisoka whispered. "I know some people at Kaiba Corp. We can call first thing in the morning... I just hope they're the right ones."

"Right. Scout and I will be glad to take him in. We have plenty of room, and the kids will be happy to have another one of their friends close by."

Scout came back with two blankets, placing one over each of the sleeping pairs gently so as not to wake them up. She gently ruffled Chazz's bangs. "It's going to be okay, sweetie," she said softly.

"Get your game on, giant marshmallow..." Jaden murmured.

"Jaden, it's Marshmallon..." Alexis murmured in reply.

"No, it's not…" he murmured. The parents stood there for a while longer, listening to their children-and soon-to-be children-dream.

_And that concludes our meeting between the Rhodes and Yuki clans for now, as well as Chazz's angle in the story. Some people have taken the belief that Chazz and his brothers were orphaned and that there is obviously no other adult supervision. _


	6. Love isn't Logical Part I

Chapter VI: Love Isn't Logical Part I

_Welcome back, everyone to "Summer Love, Summer Fears," and to what has shaped up to be a most interesting story. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Chazz is overdue for some good in his life and we think you'll all like what we have in store for him. But now…it's Bastion's turn for his parents to get to know the wonderfully random Violet Haverbrook. And this is part one of a three chapter arc. Trust your blissfully insane authoresses…you wouldn't want to slog through an insanely long chapter even if it might be hilarious and interesting. And so begins Part One of "Love isn't Logical…"_

_**Disclaimer: Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15 only own our story ideas, OCs and interpretations. We don't own GX.**_

_**WARNING: MENTION OF THE DREADED "TALK!!" You know what we're talking about, folks. It isn't graphic (in fact, they really don't talk about much at all), but boy, it is embarrassing.**_

As the Yukis, Rhodes family and Chazz exited their cars, a few blocks away, Violet and Bastion got out of their car. "Welcome, Violet," Bastion said.

"Wow..." Violet stared at the house for a few moments, before a strong hand clasped her shoulder.

"Glad you like it. Dinner's waiting, shall we..?" began Hiro. The second "dinner" was mentioned, Violet's stomach growled once more in protest.

"I think we should eat, darling," Katai said, smiling. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she added, "I'll bet you haven't eaten decently. I've seen what they serve in Ra Yellow and it's good, but Bastion, you don't eat enough at school..."

"Heh, I eat a lot, actually. I just work it all off fast," Violet explained, blushing. She followed the family into the house, which was simpler than the Rhodes' home.

"Bastion, why don't you help your mother with the food? Violet, would you like to help me set the table?" asked Hiro.

"Sure!"

"Coming, Mum. I'll be back in a bit, Violet darling..."

"How serious are you two?" Katai asked, a sparkle in her dark eyes.

"Well, Mum..." Bastion admitted, "I think we're pretty serious...She's funny and...she complements me..." In the kitchen, he smiled. "It...isn't logical, Mum, but...she is amazing, Violet is..."

"You sound like you're in love..."

"I am..." Bastion said.

Violet had followed Hiro into the dining room, where she started setting down the plates and silverware. "So, Violet, how serious are you two?"Hiro asked, smiling gently.

Violet blushed. "Well, I really feel like I'm in love with him. Everything he does makes me smile, and whenever we're together my heart sings. If that makes sense," she mumbled, blush deepening.

Hiro laughed a little, setting down the folded cloth napkins beside the plates. "Love isn't supposed to make sense, Violet. That's what I've been trying to tell my son for a while now. Not everything has a logical base like he thinks it does. I'll go and help them bring out the food. Just take a seat and we'll be here in a jiffy." Hiro walked into the kitchen, smiling a little at Violet's giggling from the word he'd used. He walked over to kiss his wife on the cheek, then placed an arm around his son's shoulders. "I'm guessing that you and your mother talked?"

Bastion nodded. "Dad...I understand now...what you've been trying to tell me..."

"That's good, son. I knew that when you finally came to understand, the right girl would be there. And I believe she is the one, so don't let her slip away, old boy!" Hiro grinned and grabbed the stew, just as another rumble was heard from the dining room.

"Sorry!" called Violet. "Now then, shall we get going? It's not polite to keep a guest, especially a lady, waiting."

Bastion grinned. "Coming, darling!" he called.

"Hiro...you'll have to talk to him...like I can't..." Katai whispered.

Hiro may have been a brilliant genius, but with some things he could be considered as oblivious as Jaden. "And what talk would that be, dear?" he whispered back.

"About...intimacy..." she whispered. "He knows the mechanics, but...well, there are some things best left to his father..."

Hiro gasped and nearly dropped the container of beef stew he was holding, but just barely managed to grab it. "Oh, yes, of course! I'll get right on that, darling!!" Hiro laughed uneasily, covering up his nervousness by walking back into the dining room. "Terribly sorry about the wait. Here it is." Hiro set down the container on the table, trying to force the thought to the back of his mind for now.

"So, how was school this year, kids?" Katai asked. "We know about the movie night, but what else happened?"

"Well, I can't say much about what happened with Bastion and our friends. But I remember letting Pharaoh loose in Dr. Crowler's lecture hall during class once. Boy, was that funny!" explained Violet, grinning. She took a bite of the stew and her eyes grew wide, searching for some kind of cooling agent before she drank half her glass of water. "Ouch...Hot. Mom always said I ate too fast."

Bastion remembered, fortunately, how hot his mom's good stew was and blew on it. "Sorry, darling, I should've warned you first...Oh, this is delicious, Mum," he said.

"Thank you, sweetie."

"So then, speaking of your parents, what are they like?" asked Hiro. He had also been aware, and was sure to cool the stew off first. Violet took the hint and did the same, concealing her squeal of joy.

"Ah! Yummy!! My parents are actually pretty young. Mom works as a store clerk and my dad owns a body shop. We get by pretty well."

"A body shop? Car repair?" Bastion looked very intrigued. "Could...your dad maybe show me some things?"

Violet swallowed the mouthful, using the given moment to think before answering. "Well, he's not a mechanic. More like an enhancer, maybe. He adds neon lights, sound systems, detailing; it's more artistic and graphic stuff. But he might be able to show you a few things, since he knows a lot about cars."

Hiro smiled, sweat-dropping when he noticed she was already halfway done with her first bowl. "My, you are a fast eater, aren't you?" he laughed.

"Heh, yeah. I can't help it. When you're hungry, you eat. And I can get really hungry, really fast," Violet explained, grinning sheepishly.

"We eat sometimes at the Slifer dormitories...And you do have to eat quickly..." Bastion added. "Otherwise, Jaden eats it first...he outdoes Violet most of the time..."

"You mean that brown-haired boy in the Slifer jacket, sweetie?" Katai asked. Bastion nodded.

"He always did get the last fried shrimp. One minute it's there, the next, gone! He must cheat somehow..."muttered Violet, brow twitching. She finished the last of her stew and grinned. "That was delicious, Mrs. Misawa!"

"You can have some more if you want. There's plenty," Hiro offered.

"Really?? Thanks! Usually, there's nothing left. My family of five is all big eaters, heh..." Violet filled up her bowl happily and dug right back in.

"Please, Violet, call me Katai...I'd much rather be called by my first name, honey, all right?"

"Right! Sorry, it's just my last boyfriend's parents told me to be more...formal..." Violet had started out as enthusiastic as usual, but slowed until her voice died out. She stared at her blurred reflection in the stew, a slight frown on her face.

"Violet? Darling, are you quite all right?" Bastion asked concerned.

Katai's woman's intuition kicked in. "You had a bad break-up, didn't you, Violet?" she asked.

"...Yeah...I guess you could call it that. Sometimes I wonder if it was even a relationship at all." Violet's gaze didn't rise from her food, frown deepening at the memory.

"Now, now, dear, it couldn't have been all that bad. I mean, think of the good memories, not the bad," Hiro coaxed.

"Dad, he was a rotten, no-good, lying..." Bastion took a deep breath, trying to keep his language under control. Violet had told him some things about Mike and was rather inclined to go find the monster and duel him or rip his head off.

"No, Bastion, it's okay. Your dad's right, my parents told me the same thing. He's in the past. All that matters now is us," interrupted Violet calmly. It was one of the rare moments she was dead serious, and she stood to walk over and hug Bastion. "Even though it hurts to remember him...you'll put back together the pieces he left behind," she whispered.

"I know...it just makes me angry," he said. "You deserve far better than that cretin..."

Katai found herself laughing softly. "Mum?" Bastion probed.

"My boy's grown up..."

At first, Violet had started laughing because of the word Bastion had used. Now, though, she placed her genius boyfriend in a headlock and gave him a noogie. "Yep. He's all grown up, all right!" she joked.

"Violet!" Bastion started laughed. "Unhand me! And...I'll show you the gym...after supper, of course..."

"Hehehe...oh? You have a gym?? You never told me that..." Violet blushed lightly, her vivid imagination kicking into high gear.

"Yes, we got one so that our boy could be fit mentally and physically! You'll love…er, are you all right?" asked Hiro.

Violet hadn't moved, but now she quickly shook her head and blushed. "Uh, yep! Just fine!! Heh..." she replied, sitting down.

Katai smiled. "He has fun in there...He took to weights easily and then he also loves the punching bag, karate, judo..." She listed several things and then added, "He took up yoga his last year at Stephen Hawking Junior High. He's really good at it."

Bastion blushed now. "Um...Violet?"

"Sounds like fun!" Violet turned her gaze to Bastion, spoon still in her mouth. "Yeah?"

"Have...you...ever tried yoga?" he asked curiously. He could somehow picture her in a yoga outfit, her light form bent beautifully.

Violet giggled, pulling the spoon out of her mouth. "Nope. I never was one for physical stuff, even though everyone says I'm hyper-active. Though, I wouldn't mind trying it..." She blushed, imagining him in a yoga outfit and bending in amazing ways.

Hiro chuckled quietly, noticing the gaze each teenager held. "I'm sure Bastion would love to show you the ropes, dear," he stated, smiling.

"I...would, actually...if you'd like, Violet..." Bastion swallowed nervously. 'Oh, my...' he thought.

Katai smiled, "Bastion, sweetie, Dad will need to speak with you after dinner, all right?"

"Yes, Mum..."

"Sounds like fun! Can't wait," Violet grinned excitedly, then let out a satisfied sigh as she pushed her empty bowl away. "Yeah, that was great! I haven't eaten anything that good in a while. If you want, I can help with the dishes while Hiro talks to Bastion," she offered.

Hiro coughed nervously, but knew he'd have to do this sooner or later. "That's a good idea, Violet."

Katai nodded. "Violet, I'd be delighted for the help. Bastion's very good helping me out, but...well, I'm glad to talk to you tonight." Bastion looked from one parent to the other, puzzled at the nervous expression on his father's face.

"Right. I'll see you in a little bit, Bastion." Violet stood, leaning over to place a gentle kiss on her boyfriend's lips. She then gathered some of the dishes, leaving the dining room for the kitchen. "Er, son, why don't we go to the living room?" offered Hiro. He also stood, glancing at his wife before going into the other room.

"All right, Dad..." The father and son headed into the living room. Bastion, judging by his father's expression, had a feeling that this talk was not a normal chat. "Dad, what precisely is going on? You seem unusually nervous..."

Hiro sighed and sat on the couch, running a hand through his slowly graying hair. "Son, your mother and I spoke with each other and...we believe it's time for 'the talk'. I'm sure a boy as bright-minded as you know what's coming..." Hiro began. At least, he hoped his son had somewhat of an idea. It would make things a little easier for him.

"Dad...I know about...that...subject," Bastion said, turning slightly red. "I've been to...classes and I've read your medical journals..."

Hiro sighed in relief, but quickly cleared his throat to continue. "Well, then, I'm glad that you know about it. Now, your mother and I are fine with you dating Violet. She seems to be a wonderful young woman, and it is rather obvious that you two are in love. However, remember to take your time. Make sure she's as ready as you are before you...take the plunge, one might say. And also remember that your mother and I are here if you need any guidance." explained Hiro, brow twitching lightly from worry.

Bastion sighed. "Dad..." And then he put his head in his hands, sighing, "Oh, bugger, bugger, bugger..."

Hiro winced, thinking he'd said it wrong. "I'm sorry, son. I never was good at this sort of thing. You must think your old man is rather foolish," the man sighed, taking up a stance much like his son's.

"Dad...it's not that...you're rather wise...It's...just...incredibly awkward...this subject. I have thought about...intimate relations...but I know Violet and I have to take things slowly. It'll be my first time and hers, after all, if we do that..." Bastion finished.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Violet was helping Katai rinse off the dishes for the dishwasher. "So then, Katai, let me guess...Hiro's giving him 'the talk', right?" she asked, smiling innocently.

Katai sighed. "You're the first young woman Bastion's truly been serious about...and therefore, I reminded Hiro about that and that he and Bastion need to talk."

Violet smiled and nodded knowingly. "I understand. My mom gave me a similar 'talk' back when I started dating...Mike." replied Violet, sighing.

"Violet...You seemed a bit upset when you brought him up and I've never seen Bastion as upset as he was... Do you feel comfortable telling me about it, honey?"

Violet frowned, staring into space for a few moments before letting out a sigh. "Not many people know about him. Only my family, Annie, and Bastion know. Mike was a friend from school, and he asked me out one day. I always did have a crush on him, and was really excited about having a boyfriend. I guess...part of it's my fault. I always wanted to be around him and spend time with him. But...I don't know… He acted one way one day and then differently the 

other. I thought he was just being shy, and I was moving too fast like I do with everything. And there were times he wanted to move faster and I wouldn't. But then..." Violet pulled in a breath. The next part was always hardest to tell, and a few tears brimmed her eyes.

Katai put her arms around the other girl. "Whatever happened...it wasn't your fault, honey..."

"I keep telling myself that, but...it was all so sudden. I had to stay after school for a club meeting, and knew he had practice. He was in basketball, so I decided to pay him a surprise visit. But...when I went to knock on the guy's locker room door, I saw him through the window." Violet let out a choked sob, allowing the tears to fall. "He...he was kissing my best friend! It hurt...so much. And it still does..." Violet's voice shook with sobs, as she unconsciously hugged Katai like she had her own mother.

"Shhh...it wasn't your fault...none of it...Violet, you are a wonderful girl...If it helps...Bastion's father had a similar thing happen to him..."

Violet's eyes widened in surprise, still brimmed with tears. "R-Really?" She found it rather ironic.

Katai nodded. "Why don't we sit down and I'll tell you all about it?" Violet nodded and they sat down. "Well, Hiro was in medical school at the time. I'd been friends with him, but I seriously didn't think that it would develop into anything more serious than a long-term friendship. Anyway, he was involved with one of the more popular students at Oxford and everyone thought that they would end up together. And then one day, the girl was caught kissing a member of the rugby team. It turned out they'd been carrying on an affair. Hiro was heartbroken...and it took a bit, but then, he asked me if I'd consider being...more than friends and...I was thrilled...but he blamed himself...'If I hadn't been so studious...' And I had to remind him that she apparently studied hard, and if she'd loved him truly, than she wouldn't have strayed," she finished.

Violet had stopped crying by then, though every few seconds she sniffed. "It's weird...how we both went through the same thing. I know Bastion gets angry whenever I end up mentioning Mike, but I don't want anyone getting hurt. You think they've finished their own talk?"Violet asked, glancing in the direction of the living room.

Meanwhile, Hiro smiled, placing a hand on Bastion's shoulder and squeezing lightly. "That's good to know, son. Now then, I'd say Violet must be getting rather bored, wouldn't you? Might as well show her the gym," Hiro replied, smiling gently.

"Okay, Dad. Hey, Violet?" Bastion called, relieved that his talk with his father was over, but glad they'd had it, nonetheless. "I think they're done!" Katai grinned. "You all right, Violet, honey?"

Violet smiled, walking over to wrap her arms around Bastion tightly. "Yeah, just finished having my own talk with your mom. Now then, what was that about a gym?" She sighed as she spoke, finding a blissful comfort in Bastion's arms that she hadn't felt with Mike.

"Would you like to try out the gym? I hope you brought something comfortable..." Bastion said.

"Yep! If I could just find my bag..."Violet replied, glancing around.

"Oh, I placed your bags in your rooms. Bastion can show you where your guest room is, Violet," Hiro explained, smiling.

"All right. Thanks, Dad!" Bastion said, smiling.

The kids walked off to the guest room and Katai winked at her husband. "Good move, honey..."

"You have no idea how stressful that was. I'd say it was even harder to perform than my proposal to the hospital committee three years ago," Hiro whispered, looking significantly relieved. "So then, what exactly did you two ladies converse about?" Katai told him.

_And that concludes Part One of "Love isn't Logical." Thank you and we hope you enjoyed this chapter! __Read, review and stay tuned for part two when our favorite Ra genius shows his girlfriend his bedroom and his gym. _


	7. Love isn't Logical Part II

Chapter VII: Love isn't Logical Part II

_Welcome back, folks, to Part II of "Love isn't Logical," starring our favorite Ra Yellow genius, Bastion Misawa and his girlfriend, Violet Haverbrook! Now what madness will occur now that they're going to Bastion's home gym? Stay tuned and read!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. We really don't. We just own our OCs.**_

Meanwhile, Violet had followed Bastion upstairs, where a hallway was lined with a few doors. There were also some pictures on the wall, one of which caught her eye. "Oh, Bastion. Is this you?" Violet pointed at a picture of a young child, holding up an eraser board proudly. On it was an equation one probably wouldn't see until they reached high school.

Bastion took a look at the photo. "Oh, yes...That's me at Davida Dyson Preschool when I was 4. Mum and Dad put me there when I was a year and a half old after they returned from England. I was already showing my...talents and they wanted to be certain I developed to my full potential. Strange, isn't it?" They came to one door. "Oh, this is my room," he said. "Maybe you'd prefer to see it later?"

Violet's jaw dropped. "COOL!! You've got an even bigger brain than I thought!"She giggled, poking his head before they came to the door. "Oh, no way I can wait for this! I have to see your room!!" Violet exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down.

"All right," Bastion said, flushing. He led her to a simple 6-paneled oak door and opened it. The room was painted in green, except for one wall, which was done in the special paint which made a surface like a chalkboard. It had a modern-looking twin bed and a desk with a computer. There was a poster of Albert Einstein, and one of Professor Eisenstein, and another poster of the characters from Star Trek. "As you can see," Bastion admitted, "I am quite the nerd...and Annie and I have something in common..." He blushed. "I hope you can tolerate it from me..."

Violet scanned the room, liking the color scheme even though green was one of her least favorite colors. She giggled when she came to the Star Trek poster. "Nah, it's cool! My room isn't perfect, either. Definitely not as clean as yours...but anyway! I like your nerdy ways. Why do you think I'm friends with Annie? I think it's cute!" Violet suddenly got a mischievous glint to her eyes, and in less than five seconds had belly-flopped onto Bastion's twin bed.

"Um...As you can see, I have a wall here that I can erase as needed. Violet, darling, are you...tired?" he asked curiously as he saw her flop onto the bed.

"Nope! I just like testing out beds!!" she replied. Violet rolled over onto her back, letting out a comfort-filled sigh before hopping back onto her feet. "Anyway! Onto my room!! Mush!" Violet cheered, pumping a fist into the air enthusiastically.

Bastion laughed. "All right, then... Mum decorates rather in a traditional way..." he warned, and one door down, the two found themselves in a room decorated in varying shades of blue. It had what looked like a full-size Victorian-era sleigh bed in cherry wood and a huge duvet covered in dark blue silk and several pillows. "Dad told her he didn't want...and I quote...something that looked like the Barbie aisle invaded the house."

Violet giggled a little and shrugged, since blue was an okay color for her. "Test time! Wahoo!!" She ran over to the bed and repeated her earlier action, but was met with her rather hard suitcase. "Oh, ouch. That didn't feel pleasant," Violet squeaked, sweat-dropping.

"Violet!" Bastion yelped in alarm. "Are you hurt?"

Violet coughed a little, rolling back into a standing position and rubbing her stomach. "Just...fine. I'll see you out in the hallway when I'm ready, alright?"Violet replied, grinning sheepishly. She hadn't noticed that her body slam had caused the suitcase's lid to pop open, revealing none other than a bright pink Watapon plushie.

"Oh, your suitcase is open...Who's this?" he asked, picking up the toy. "A Watapon! He's quite a cute monster..."

Violet blushed as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Heh…that's Tiffles. I've had him since I was a baby, a present from my grandmother. He always was my favorite little alien," she explained, poking one of its antennae.

"One moment..." Bastion ran back to his room and returned quickly, holding a much-battered teddy bear. "Tiffles, this is Kukalaka...Kukalaka, Tiffles," he said solemnly.

"Aw! He's so cute!! We both gave them funny names, didn't we?" Violet asked, rubbing the teddy bear's battered head. She wondered vaguely what on Earth he could have done to the poor thing, and thanked her mother for teaching her how to sew. Otherwise, Tiffles wouldn't even be in one piece!

"Well, Kukalaka got his name from a teddy bear belonging to a fellow Brit..." Bastion admitted. "Specifically, he was named after a bear on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine...'" Bastion blushed. "I heard the name, I suppose, and named my bear after that bear. Mum and Dad thought it was rather cute..."

"Heehee. I just named Tiffles the first thing that came to mind when I started talking. He helped me get over my fear of the dark, to say the least." Violet smiled, grabbing the soft plushie and hugging it until a thought occurred to her. "Whoops! We were supposed to be changing." reminded Violet, sweat-dropping.

"Oh, yes...let's get to it then," Bastion said, turning away, trying not to think of Violet getting undressed.

Violet nodded, watching him leave before closing the door. "Oh man, don't think bad thoughts. Just focus on finding your outfit!" she muttered, a light blush appearing on her pale cheeks. She quickly shook her head, and started digging through her suitcase for the proper attire.

Bastion, meanwhile, headed into his room and got his outfit on. He hoped he looked good in the shirt and shorts he selected, checking himself out in the mirror. 'I hope she doesn't mind me in this...Goodness, what if she does?!' he thought, and then headed out his bedroom door.

Violet had also gotten dressed in a pale purple tank top and black sweatpants, examining herself in the mirror as she pulled her long hair into a bun. 'Oh...what if he doesn't like what I'm wearing? It's too late to change now!' And then she heard a knock on her door.

"Violet? Are you quite ready?" Bastion asked through the door.

"Oh! Yeah, just a minute!!"Violet called. She quickly finished rubbing a cream onto her chest that blended into her skin tone, wiping off her hands carelessly on her dirty clothes. Violet then walked over and opened the door, a blush coming to her face when she saw Bastion. 'Oh my geez! HOT!!' she thought.

Bastion was dressed in a gray sleeveless top that was very formfitting and gray shorts and in bare feet. Wisely, he'd not chosen his more formfitting black leggings, which was a good thing because Violet looked stunning to him in her top and sweatpants. "You look lovely," he said in a slightly constricted voice.

Violet realized she'd been staring-and probably drooling-and quickly shook her head. "You look great, too! Lead the way!!" she squeaked, the blush still thick on her face.

They headed down the hall to another room and opened the door. It was a rather large room with light laminate flooring, a collection of weights, a punching bag, and some yoga equipment. "I hope you're all right with this. I am a bit out of practice, darling..."

"That's fine! Now I won't be embarrassed when you stand on your head!!" Violet scanned the weights, then grinned and wrapped her hands around one. She pulled, but was unable to lift it an inch. "Kya! I won't let you get the better of me!!" she yelled, brow twitching.

"Violet...I appreciate your enthusiasm, but let's try some yoga...It's rather relaxing..." Bastion said, smiling.

"Right! We'll continue this later, you..."Violet growled, glaring at the weight. She walked over to the yoga mat, unsure of what to do. "I'm not exactly flexible, just to let you know..."

"It's all right. It takes practice...You should've seen Jaden trying this...Syrus was better than him!" Bastion said, cracking up.

"Oh, I wish I could have seen that! I bet he got stuck."Violet replied, grinning. She giggled, then flopped down onto the rubber-padded mat.

"Actually, he couldn't do Downward Facing Dog...and that is rather easy..."

"Downward...Facing...Dog?" Violet blinked, then burst out laughing, unable to help herself.

"Let's start with that one...Stand up... and set your feet apart... then put your hands on the mat so you look like a dog wanting to play..." Bastion demonstrated as he told her what to do and presented Violet with a view of his rather shapely butt in the air.

A blush spread like wildfire across her cheeks, and it took all the will she had not to stare. 'So then, he wants to play THAT game, huh? I'll show him.' She grinned and stretched her lithe body, before taking up the position. "You mean like this?"Violet asked, light shimmering off of her pale skin seductively.

Bastion looked over at her and smiled. "That's exactly right, Violet, darling. Now just breathe deeply. And then we'll try some other positions..."

'Oh, crud-muffin. He didn't even blush! I'll have to try something else...' Violet concealed her pout, taking a few deep breaths as her muscles relaxed. A few purple bangs hung over her eyes and she blew them away.

Bastion was purposely keeping his mind logical. 'She's so beautiful. But I can't focus on that, or there will be... an embarrassing situation...We're alone in this gym...my parents are downstairs...Oh, why must romance be so bloody complicated?!' he talked to himself sternly.

"Uh...Bastion? Kind of getting wobbly here," Violet stated. Her arms and legs were shaking from being in the abnormal position for so long, a few beads of sweat on her forehead. Suddenly, her sweaty palm slipped and caused her to face-plant the mat, fingers twitching lightly. "Kya..."

"Violet!" Bastion moved easily from his position and flipped her over on her back. "Are you all right, darling?" He was hovering over her on his knees.

Violet's face was a little red, some sweat still on her brow from the new physical strain. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just not used to this is all. I usually avoided gym class," she explained. At the moment, Violet was glad her face was red, because it concealed her blush. 'God, he looks Hot!' Bastion was just so close...

And yet...Bastion could tell she was blushing, and he was blushing hotly now. "Vio...let..." His heart was pounding.

He was right; she was blushing so hard that it easily stood out against the red mark. "Yeah, Bastion?" She gulped, feeling as though her heart would leap out of her throat. 'I've never felt like this before...not around anyone!'

"Perhaps...we should..." His voice was oddly constricted.

"Perhaps, we should what?" Her voice was still smooth, though every now and then a word would come out as a squeak from her nervousness.

"Sit up?" Whatever he'd been intending to say, that wasn't it and it certainly wasn't in an octave higher than his normal voice.

Violet blinked, heart seeming to freeze for a moment as his words registered in her brain. "Oh...right, of course. Heh..." she mumbled, pulling herself up into a sitting position. Violet stared at the mat, tucking a strand of purple hair behind her ear as her blush began to fade. 'Geez, Violet! Get your mind out of the gutter!! Of course that's what he was going to say...'

And then, once they were in sitting position, Bastion shifted uncomfortably. 'Think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts...you are a young man in control, not a pervert...'

Violet cleared her throat, quickly standing and trying to avoid eye contact with Bastion. "So then, uh...anything else you wanted to show me?"

"Um... Excuse me one moment..." Bastion headed for the bathroom. "Bastion Misawa, get control of yourself," he growled at himself sternly. "You are not going to scare her..." He shook his head, hoping to get his head back online, and get his body in control.

Violet sighed once he was gone, holding her head with a hand as she closed her eyes. "Man, what is wrong with me? I've never acted like this around a guy! Not even Mike!! If I don't be careful, I might...lose...him." Violet whispered. The thought brought tears to her eyes, and she brought up a hand to touch her right cheek. 'No one knows; no one, not even Mom or Dad...'

Bastion managed to get himself in control, and then headed back to the gym, and heard her whispers. "You won't lose me, Violet. I won't let that happen, darling," he said.

Violet gasped, turning her head to gaze at Bastion. A soft smile came onto her lips, and she ran over to wrap her arms around him in a loving embrace. "Oh, Bastion. Thank you...I don't know what I'd do if..."she said, unable to finish.

"I'm sorry...I didn't want you to think...I was a pervert..." he admitted, blushing.

Violet giggled. "Of course I wouldn't think that! I mean, you haven't fondled me or anything, right? And I've ogled you just as much as you have me," she replied, also blushing.

"But...I was...well..." Bastion was blushing hotly now.

Violet laughed at his stuttering, then stopped it with a gentle kiss. Her arms moved up to wrap around his neck, eyes closing as a rush of crimson crossed her cheeks. 'He's so cute when he stutters...'

Bastion's hormones were going crazy. And he was very grateful he hadn't worn his formfitting leggings.

Suddenly, she pulled away and grinned, arms crossing over her chest. "It's getting kind of late. Maybe we'll continue this tomorrow. All right?" Violet was talking about the yoga, though it could have been taken as meaning the near make-out session. 'I love teasing him.'

"All right...I could use a shower," Bastion said. 'Oh that sounded wrong!' the teen boy said to himself.

"All right then. I think I'll just change into my pajamas. Enjoy your shower!"Violet replied. She hadn't caught the...other possible meaning, and turned to leave the gym.

_And there you have part 2! Thank you for reviewing, Agent of the Divine One, and thanks for the people who are reading! Part III is coming up!_


	8. Love isn't Logical Part III

Chapter VIII: Love isn't Logical Part III

_And now we, Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15 proud present you with the final part of a three-part chapter, "Love isn't Logical!" We hope you enjoy this chapter's conclusion._

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX! 15animefreak15 owns Violet Haverbrook.**_

_**Warning: There is a nude scene in here but it's all in good fun! Enjoy!**_

Bastion sighed and headed down to his room. It was times like this he wished he liked bathrobes. 'Oh, bugger...she almost saw...me...interested,' he thought. 'Bastion, you're alternating hot and cold water tonight...' He stripped, looked down the hall, determined that Violet was in her room and strode down the hall in his birthday suit. He turned on the hot water and scrubbed himself off and then turned the tap to cold. 'Ah...'

Violet had gotten undressed, but realized that she was more sweaty and dirty than she thought. "Oh man, do I feel gross! I'm sure Bastion should be done by now. It's been almost fifteen minutes," she muttered. A blush crept onto her face at the thought of Bastion… "Bad Violet, bad! Mind. Out. Of. The. Gutter. I think I'll try a cold shower; that should knock me out of this dirty streak." Violet's eyes widened and she slammed her head against the wall. "Bad mind, bad! Quit thinking those dirty thoughts!!" she growled. Violet snatched a towel that she'd taken from the gym to wipe off the sweat, wrapping it around her body before opening the door. Seeing no one around, she walked calmly to the bathroom and walked inside.

At this moment, Bastion stepped out of the shower wearing nothing but a relieved smile. And then... "OH BLOODY..! VIOLET!"

Violet's head snapped up at the yell, her face instantly turning the darkest shade of red possible for a human. 'OH GOD, OH GOD, OH GOD!!' her brain screamed in embarrassment. She squeaked, closing her eyes tightly and turning around, "Sorry, sorry, sorry! I should have knocked!! Oh geez, I'm such an idiot! Sorry!!"

It probably didn't help that Violet's towel dropped at this moment, revealing her full figure to Bastion. "Oh, my..." His heart was racing a mile a minute.

Violet had been so busy apologizing that her grip had loosened, and her eyes popped open in shock when her towel slipped to the ground. 'Eep...oh God, I'm stark naked...with Bastion...who's also naked.'

"Bastion, is everything... OH MY LORD!!" Katai yelped, walking into the bathroom.

"MUM!" Bastion yelped.

Violet gasped, snatching up her towel and running from the bathroom. "I'M SORRY!!" she yelled.

Hiro had just started up the steps, having heard a yell, and now heard a door slam closed. "Katai, Bastion, what's going on? I heard yelling," he called worriedly from the top of the stairs.

"Um..." Bastion now emerged from the bathroom, blushing crimson red.

"Hiro..." Katai looked dazed.

Hiro scratched his head in confusion, wondering why his wife had yelled. She'd seen Bastion in his birthday suit numerous times before. "Katai darling, what's wrong?"

"Um...Dad...I was...taking a shower and...I was getting out..." Bastion explained, "And Violet must've decided she wanted a shower and thought I was done...and we...surprised each other..."

Violet, meanwhile, was lying on her bed, staring at Tiffles as she held him in her arms. "I'm such an idiot. I should have known to knock, I should have checked. He probably hates me. And his mom...who knows what she thinks now," she mumbled sadly.

"Oh...OH! Oh my, son, er..." Hiro stuttered. He could only imagine how embarrassed his son must be, but had no idea what Violet must have been going through. "Well, son, uh...where is she now? Perhaps you should make sure she's alright...though do change into something first," the father advised, unable to think of any other way to go about fixing this whole mess.

"I think I'd better go talk to her first, boys... As I recall, Hiro...your mom talked to me when that happened with us..." Katai smiled, recalling that incident.

Hiro blushed, also remembering the incident quite well. "Oh yes, of course! You do that, darling."

"You saw...each other?" Bastion asked. "Um...excuse me, Mum and Dad, but I think I need to get out of the all-together..."

"Good idea, son. Maybe I'll tell you about it some other time," Hiro replied, sweat-dropping.

Leaving father and son, Katai moved down the hallway to Violet's room. 'Thank God I remember how I felt.' She knocked on the door. "Violet? Honey?"

Violet blinked and looked up, surprised to hear Katai's voice. Nonetheless she stood, smoothing out her lavender silk pajamas and going to open the door. "Katai, I...we weren't doing anything, I swear! It was all my fault!! Really..."

"I believe you, and I trust you and I trust Bastion. Is it all right if I come in for a minute?"

Violet was relieved, and walked over to sit on her bed as a sign that she could. She reached over and picked up the Watapon plushie, hugging it to her chest as she stared at the floor.

"Sweetie...it's all right...Hiro and I saw each other like that..."

"Y-You did?"

Katai smiled, beginning to laugh. "And...Hiro reacted like I think Bastion probably just did..."

Violet remembered the look on Bastion's face and sighed. "It really was my fault. I should have knocked first. Then maybe we wouldn't have...well..."

"It was my fault, too..."

"It looks like we all have a lot more in common than we thought we did. That or this is a seriously bad case of déjà vu."

"I think it's the former..." She answered.

Violet giggled. "I should...probably talk to him, huh?"

Meanwhile, in the next room... "Oh, she saw me... and I was...interested...She must think I'm a pervert!" Bastion groaned as he got his gray silk pajamas on.

Hiro had been walking past Bastion's room, and heard his groan. He sighed and knocked lightly on the door. "Son, might I come in for a moment? Are you...decent??"

Bastion sighed. "Yes, Dad. Come in..." The teen boy sat down on his bed as his father entered. "Dad...that was...embarrassing," Bastion admitted.

Hiro sat beside his son, running a hand through his hair before speaking. "Bastion, my boy, accidents like this happen. A lot. I should know. I went through much the same thing you just did. But we learn from these mistakes, and I learned one important thing. Don't blame yourself, and don't blame her. She must be feeling just as awful. The only thing you can do is converse with each other and make amends. That's what your mother and I did. Everything will work out fine, I promise."

"Dad...she saw me...interested, if you catch my meaning...She probably thinks I'm a pervert..."

Hiro couldn't help but smile, and placed a strong hand on Bastion's shoulder. "Son, you may not believe this, but I thought the same thing. Your mother was, and still is, a beautiful woman. I thought for sure that she hated me for being interested in her. As it turns out, she had been thinking the same thing. If you constantly worry about what might be, you'll never be able 

to experience the joys of life. Such as finding the one you'll be with for the rest of your days and being happy."

"Dad...did Mum see you...with...Ummm..." Bastion was bright red with embarrassment.

Hiro couldn't help but blush lightly as well, remembering the incident as if it had happened yesterday. "Yes, son. And I saw her as well."

Bastion fell backwards on the bed and sighed. "Mum didn't think you were a pervert?"

"No, she knew it was an accident. Your mother was in fact quite flattered that I took interest in her. Of course, that incident just made me want to be with her more." Hiro's eyes widened. "But not for the reason you're thinking! Not at all!! It was the fact that we were so alike, really!"

"Violet and I are alike in some ways. But...one of the things that makes me so drawn to her is that...she's different...Dad...she's amazing..."

"Yes, son. Violet is quite the special girl. Perhaps you two have more in common than you think. If you recall, you aren't the same as most boys, either. And I don't just mean your intellect, son."

"Perhaps..." Bastion allowed.

"Oh, for bloody sake, son! Go to her now and clear up this mess. Otherwise, you may lose her..."Hiro stated. He stood and left after that, hoping he'd gotten his message through.

"All right, then..." Bastion swallowed, and headed to his girlfriend's door.

Katai was just walking out. "She'll see you now...It'll be all right..."

Bastion nodded. "Violet?"

Violet tensed, clutching the stuffed Duel Monster tighter to her chest. "C-Come in..." she called nervously. 'Oh geez, he probably hates me.'

"If you're thinking I hate you...I don't...I was...worried you'd think me a pervert..." Bastion began.

Violet sighed in relief, then quickly lifted her head to look seriously at him. "Bastion, I'd NEVER think you were a pervert. I already told you that in the gym. I know it was an accident." Violet replied quickly. 'Besides, I kind of...liked, what I saw...' she thought, blushing.

"Yes, but...I want to be..." He swallowed nervously.

"Yeah?" She was now twirling some of her hair around her finger, a bad habit she had whenever it was down.

"I want to be right toward you..."

Violet tilted her head to the side, frowning in confusion. "Uh...what? I don't...understand..."

"I don't ever want to be like your ex..."

Violet understood then, and once more placed a hand on her right cheek. "Bastion...you're nothing like him. I should have known he wasn't really in love with me. It was so hard to be with him, but...when I'm around you it feels...right."

"It's the same with me...Violet...I've never felt this way about anyone...ever...You are so beautiful..."

Violet blushed. "I'm not the only one. You're pretty handsome yourself, Bastion." she replied. 'UNDERSTATEMENT!!' screamed her mind.

"I did want you to know...that...if our physical attraction gets more...well, physical," he said, smiling nervously, "I'm prepared..." Bastion blushed. 'Oh, that sounded forward...Good bloody going, Misawa!'

Violet's blush deepened a little, but a small smile formed on her lips. "That's good to know, Bastion. I'm also prepared for when we...if we...well, you know." She stood and walked over to hug him, burying her face into his chest.

Bastion's heart beat a bit faster. "There are other things I love about you...your outspokenness...how you do absolutely incredible things...the way your eyes sparkle when you're planning something absolutely devious..."

Violet giggled. "There are plenty of things to love about you, too. The way you stutter cutely when logic doesn't work...that adorable British accent...how you can be so smart and strong all at once..." Unconsciously, he pulled her closer and could strongly feel her body heat. Violet blushed a bit, but kept her tight hold on Bastion and his warmth. Suddenly, a thunder crash was heard, causing her to yelp in surprise. Violet's fingers clutched at Bastion's pajama top, eyes closed tightly as she shivered.

"It's all right...It's all right," he soothed. "Just a thunderstorm..."

"I don't like thunderstorms; they remind me of...that day. Bastion, I...there's more to what happened with Mike. I never told anyone before, it hurt too much..." she whispered, tears brimming her eyes. 'I feel so safe right here. Like the world could end and he'd protect me...' she thought contentedly.

"Violet, darling, I won't leave your side if you want me here..." he said softly.

Violet rook in a deep breath, then let it out quietly. "I would like that, Bastion. Are you sure you don't mind?" she asked worriedly.

Bastion swallowed. "Of course not...the question is..." He trailed off.

Violet blushed, having an idea of what he was going to ask. "Yeah...?"

"My room or yours? I can sleep on the floor..."

If Bastion hadn't been holding her just then, she probably would have face-faulted. "I think your room would be better. And...you don't have to sleep on the floor. I'd never make you do that, just for me," she replied, blushing.

"But where...oh...Are you sure you're all right with that? My bed is sort of...small..." he said.

Violet raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? It's the size of my bed back home! Besides, I...would feel safer if I could stay here...in your arms," she mumbled.

Bastion trembled a little bit. "If...you're certain...I don't want you to feel compromised in any way..."

"Bastion, I'M the one asking YOU. If anything, you should feel compromised." Violet winced as more thunder was heard, face now buried deep within the folds of Bastion's pajama top.

"But...I'm the young man...you're the virgin female...oops..."

Violet blushed a bright shade of red. "H-Hey! You're still a virgin, too!!"

"I know, but I'm a guy...I just put my foot in my mouth all the way to my knee, didn't I?" he said, blushing at the cheeks.

Violet couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head in reply. "No, no! But that was funny..."Violet said through a yawn.

"All right...then, shall we?" he asked, gently brushing her hair with his hand.

"Yep. I'm ready for sleep," she replied. Another crash of thunder occurred, causing her to squeak and jump up. Now, her arms were around Bastion's neck, while her legs were wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Shall I carry you?" Bastion asked. He had to admit to himself that her body wrapped around his felt pretty good.

Violet sweat-dropped. "Uh...yeah, that would be nice. Thanks..."

"All right, then..." He stepped out of the room, with her wrapped around him and headed down to his room. "Mum changed the sheets today..." he smiled.

Violet would have smacked herself for the bad thought that occurred, but then she would have fallen. So, she settled for trying to force down her blush as they entered his room. "I still can't believe how clean it is. Mine looks like a tornado ran through it."

"I'm a neat freak, and so are Mum and Dad..." Bastion admitted. "Fortunately, Mum doesn't mind coming in here and tidying up a bit when I'm coming home..." Bastion set her down on the bed. "There you are."

"That explains it. My family's not exactly the most tidy of people."Violet replied, sweat-dropping. She sighed contentedly on the bed, moving to the side so that Bastion could have room. "Just as soft as I remember it was an hour or two ago..."

He snuggled down next to her. "Yeah...one difference though, when I usually sleep in here..."

"Yeah?" She giggled, snuggling into his side.

"You're here..." He sighed. "I'm alone at other times..."

"Well, I know just how you feel. And you're never alone as long as I'm here. Plus, I don't think I'm all that scared anymore, Bastion baby..." Violet grinned, wondering what he thought of the new nickname.

"I like what you called me, darling..." They were pressed close together in the twin bed.

"Heehee...I'm glad. Took me forever to think of something. You're not the easiest guy to give a nickname to. But I don't mind..." She pressed a passionate kiss to his lips in a moment of adrenaline-filled impulse.

Bastion breathed deeply. 'GO SLOWLY!' his mind screamed at him, thinking what Violet might be interested in.

Violet pulled away and let out a contented sigh, deciding to use Bastion's chest as a pillow. "G'night, Bastion baby..."she yawned.

Bastion breathed deeply, relieved she didn't want to go further at the moment. "Good night, darling..."

_And there we have it! Bastion has gotten pretty close with Violet, hasn't he? Well, he doesn't know everything there is to know about her yet. They've been friends since the beginning __of their first year, but she hasn't told him everything. Well, you'll just have to stay reading to find out what's going on, won't you? 15animefreak and Peach Wookiee thank you in advance for your reviews! _


	9. A Hassleberry with Airport Security

Chapter IX: A "Hassle(berry)" with Airport Security

_Welcome back everyone to "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" For three chapters, we focused on Bastion Misawa and his girlfriend Violet. We, your delightfully demented authoress duo, were rather surprised to see how long we actually spent on those two and we thank you for your reviews, letting us know just how much a certain Ra Yellow genius is loved. Well, now we're focusing on another couple. Here are the early sweet trials of Hassleberry and Rosa. Some of you will notice that our favorite dinosaur loving duelist gets a different first name here. This is inspired by the episode where he says his "codename" is Tyranno, which leads us to believe that he might've hated the name his mom and dad gave him at birth. It's still a T-name and we rather like it. We hope you don't mind us taking liberties here._

_**Disclaimer: Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15 only own their stories and OCs. They also own their experiences with airport security.**_

_**Authors' note: In this timeline, the summer between the second and third season of GX occurs in 2018, ten years from now.**_

While one group of kids faced a serious situation and another young couple faced their feelings, another couple and a set of parents sped toward Domino International Airport. "Señor Hassleberry, I need tú to do me un favor," stated Rosa. She seemed nervous, maybe about going through the airport security.

"What's the matter, darlin'?" Hassleberry asked. "I don't think you're on the no-fly list..."

Rosa took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "I need tú to watch mí passport. I do not have any pockets y cannot risk losing it," she explained. She showed him the small booklet she'd been holding, having taken it from her luggage before they got inside the taxi.

"All right, darlin'..."

"Er, Señor Hassleberry, I am nerviosa. Some of mís amigos have told me about how hard security es here. Uno of them was even harassed because he could not find his passport," blurted out Rosa, blushing. Sure, it wasn't as bad as if she had been Middle-Eastern, but it was still difficult.

"It's all right," he answered. "We'll get through it...I get hassled sometimes, too...Mama has, too...It's been like this for years...at least we haven't gone to Code Orange..."

"Code...Anaranjado?"she asked.

"It's the second highest terror alert level...Came in during the Bush Administration...we haven't been there for quite some time...it'll be all right..."

"All right. I trust tú, Señor Hassleberry." Then, the taxi stopped, since they were at the airport.

"I can get the bags, kids," Dean Hassleberry said. "You take care of your girl, son. Lil, you can go on ahead..."

Hassleberry's mom, a pale woman with a delicate chin and brown eyes, smiled. "Of course, honey."

Rosa let out another deep breath and stepped out of the taxi, glancing wearily about. She'd been through an American airport before, but it was far easier getting out than in. Rosa hoped that nothing would go wrong. The kids got up to the ticket counter of their airline.

"Hello, there..." the woman at the counter said. "May I ask where you're traveling today?"

"Houston, Texas, ma'am..." Hassleberry answered. He handed her his school ID and then it was Rosa's turn.

Rosa also handed the woman her school ID, which stated where she was from. "You'll need to show me your passport, too," stated the woman.

"Right. Señor Hassleberry?"

"Of course, darlin'," he said, reaching into his front pocket. "Um...where'd I put it?"

Rosa blinked, staring at Hassleberry. "Uh...Señor Hassleberry? I need mí passport..."

The woman looked up. "Is something wrong? If you don't have your passport then I'm afraid that I can't give you your boarding pass."

"I know I have it somewhere..." Hassleberry groaned. Finally, he reached into his back pocket. "FOUND IT!" he yelled triumphantly. "Here you go, Rosa darlin'!"

Rosa let out a much-needed sigh of relief, giving the passport to the woman. "Oh, good. Everything seems to be in order. Here are your IDs, passport, and plane tickets." The woman handed over the items, and placed their luggage on a conveyor belt.

"Now we head through security, darlin'," Hassleberry said. "It'll be okay..." He sighed. Security had been tough since he was a baby, but he didn't think much of it. But he did remember his mom and dad telling of the days when regular people could go close to the gates and watch planes take off. Rosa nodded, and decided to hang onto her passport for good luck. All too soon they came to security, and got in line for the metal detector.

The kids removed their shoes and placed all their metal things into receptacles. Hassleberry had Rosa walk through first and she passed through easily. Hassleberry, however... BEEEEEEP! Rosa gasped, still only inches through the metal detector when Hassleberry was forced to step back.

"Señor Hassleberry, what..?" BEEEEEEEP! She'd moved forward towards Hassleberry, her upper half going back through the metal detector and setting it off.

The security officer nodded to her. "Ma'am, I'll need you to wait for your husband. We have to check him carefully."

Rosa blushed, and in any other situation would have let her temper lash out. Luckily, she was too scared to let it take control, and simply went to where the security guard had specified to wait. 'Oh no, oh no. What could have set it off?' she wondered worriedly.

"Um...we're not married yet," Hassleberry explained to the security man. "I haven't met her daddy yet..." He removed his jacket and walked through the scanner again. And again...BEEEEEEP!

Rosa flinched a little at the sound, wondering what on Earth could be setting it off. "Sir, I'll have to scan you manually," stated the security guard. He pulled out a miniature scanner and began running it over Hassleberry.

Hassleberry finally had to strip down to his shorts and the scanner went over his left leg. "Oh, I've had surgery there! I have metal parts in there!" he explained.

Rosa was blushing fiercely, trying not to stare. "Oh, I see. All right sir, you can go through. It's your turn, ma'am," replied the guard. Rosa removed her blazer, the top of her mariachi dress now visible.

She shakily walked through the metal detector... BEEEEEP! 'Oh, no...'

"It's all right, ma'am. Are you, by chance, wearing an underwire bra?"

Rosa's blush returned, and she had to think for a moment. "No." The security guard picked up the mini-scanner, as Rosa took the proper stance. Just as it was passing a spot above her bra, it went off.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Do you have anything else metal on?"

"Uh...oh! I remember now!! Mí Rosettas..." Rosa replied. She reached under her dress and pulled out a small leather pouch, which had been placed in a special pocket under the dress.

"Rosettas?" Hassleberry asked, getting his clothes back on.

The security man seemed to know, but said, "Ma'am, you should tell your boyfriend..."

Rosa blushed, then opened the pouch and pulled out two small stones. They were round, smooth, and bright red, about the size of one's eyeball. "Rosettas. Mí town has un tradition. Un father makes dos rojo clay balls filled with iron y gives them to his daughter. When the daughter gets married, she gives them to her husband's parents. Un token of luck from her own parents," she explained.

"Oh..." Hassleberry blushed at the significance of this.

"Are we okay, then, sir?" he asked the security man, who nodded.

The two collected their things and waited for Hassleberry's parents. "That was fun. I haven't been strip-searched before..." he said.

Rosa giggled at his words, still holding the Rosettas in her hand. "Señor Hassleberry, I...really hope that I can give these to your parents someday..." whispered Rosa. She blushed, staring at the ground in embarrassment.

He took her soft hand in his harder, more calloused one. "I hope so too, darlin'...Rosa..." He blushed, too. He could easily see them together and was glad she'd said something. "Have...you always carried those around?"

Rosa smiled and nodded, slipping them back into the pouch. "Sí. The daughter gets them on her cumpleaños de trece, when she can start receiving suitors. I have never let them out of mí sight," she explained, placing the pouch back into the hidden pocket.

"Your thirteenth birthday?" he asked. "Wow...I'm glad that security guy knew about your tradition..."

"I am surprised that he did. Not many outside of mí town know, not even many other Spaniards." Rosa glanced over her shoulder at the man, and noticed Hassleberry's parents coming their way.

Hassleberry waved to his parents and they caught up with him. "Son, I've never seen you strip-searched before..."

"It was my leg, Dad...And Rosa almost got searched, but we both passed the inspection with flyin' colors!"

Rosa remembered seeing Hassleberry in his boxers and blushed, leaning over to whisper as they headed for the gate. "Tú looked cute en those dino-print boxers, Senor Hassleberry."

Hassleberry blushed. "You...think I did?" Rosa nodded, giggling a little as she smiled. They reached the gate and got onto the plane, where Rosa and Hassleberry sat on one side of the aisle while Lily and Dean sat on the other.

"We've got five hours on this plane, darlin'," Hassleberry said. "We'll be in Crawford before you know it, Rosa, and I can take you on walks..."

"Dios mio, cinco hours? Ay, ay, ay..." Rosa groaned. Sure, she'd spent even longer on her last two plane rides, but the prospect of sitting for five hours was still bleak.

"It'll be all right, and we can sleep for a bit..." he said softly.

Rosa smiled, deciding that it might go faster than the last two times since she had Hassleberry with her. Suddenly, the plane took off, making all of the passengers sink into the backs of their seats. 'Oooh, I forgot how nauseous I get during take-off,' Rosa winced; she'd lost her breakfast on the last two plane rides.

Hassleberry quickly grabbed a barf bag, noticing her pallor. "It's all right, darlin', if you do...I'm right here and you're not the first to get sick on a plane..." He put his arm around her to relax her. "Just breathe..."

Rosa leaned into his embrace, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She thought she might be alright, but the plane hit some turbulence and she knew she was going to lose it. Rosa grabbed the barf bag and turned away from Hassleberry, not wanting him to see her in such a weakened state as she literally lost her lunch.

"Rosa...you don't have to be tough all the time," he said softly, as if reading her thoughts. "I've seen Marines get sick on plane flights...darlin', it doesn't make you weak..."

Rosa was finally able to stop heaving, and looked back at her boyfriend sadly. "But...when tú grow-up en un familia of chicos y tú papa es un luchadore de tauro, es hard not to act tough. Showing weakness es shameful..."she replied. Rosa had just wanted to fit in with her brothers, and that meant dropping the dolls and picking fights.

"Well, in my book, you're tough...and don't you tell me your brothers haven't had their share of barfin'...I know I have..." he admitted. "And Dad told me once that no tough soldier avoids gettin' sick..."

Rosa sighed, knowing he was right. At least the plane had leveled off so she didn't feel nauseous anymore. "Gracias, Señor Hassleberry." She leaned over to hug him, giving a content sigh and feeling comfort emanating from him.

"It's okay...and once we level off, you can have somethin' to drink, all right?" he said as she hugged him and he hugged back. "You just relax, darlin', and we'll have plenty of time just to have some R and R..."

Rosa nodded, and a few minutes later they were allowed to unbuckle their seatbelts. They were sitting near the front, and were one of the first to meet the flight attendant with drinks. "And what would you two like?" she asked kindly.

"Just agua, por favor," replied Rosa. However, she received a blank, confused stare from the flight attendant.

"She means she'd like some water, ma'am," Hassleberry said. "And I'll have a Mr. Pibb, please."

"Oh, right. Sorry about that. Here are your drinks, enjoy." The flight attendant continued on her way, as Rosa sighed.

"Ay, ay, ay. Curse this accent..."

"It's not that. She just didn't know Spanish...And I love your accent..." Hassleberry said, sipping his drink. "Feelin' better, Spanish Rose?" he asked.

Rosa blushed, taking a gulp of her water to force it down. "Sí. I like your accent as well. But I still need to give tú un nickname," she answered, pouting. It was no fun getting called a nickname if she couldn't call him one back.

He blushed. "Darlin', when we're in Texas, you can figure one out. I like whatever you decide to call me..." He wasn't sure how to go about telling her his true birth name... 'But I'm goin' to...or Mama will...' he thought ominously.

"All right. Oh, pardon, I need to use el restroom." Rosa stood and walked up the few feet before going into the bathroom.

Afterwards, Lily stood and walked over to sit in Rosa's vacated seat. "So then, she seems nice, Tyson. You think she's the one?"

"Mama...everybody calls me Tyranno...my first name's classified!" he whispered, embarrassed. For some odd reason, he didn't like the name he'd been given at birth.

Lily laughed a little. "Oh, Tyson, sweetie, I'm your mother and I'm allowed to call you the name I gave you. Now, answer my question," she replied. Lily may have been the gentle one in the family, but both men knew not to disobey a direct order from her.

"Well, yeah...I think she might be...I haven't told her everything...and..." He lifted his eyes to his mother's, nervously... "I'm afraid to tell her..."

"What's this? My big, strong soldier finally admits that he is afraid of something?? Well, love is a complicated thing. You know, your father once told me that proclaiming his love for me was 'scarier than when I went head-to-head with a rattlesnake'. Don't worry, your heart will tell you when the time is right," Lily explained, reaching over to pull her only child into a gentle hug.

"Daddy said that? He said nobody goes into battle without bein' afraid, but...he didn't say anything about love..." Hassleberry may have been a tough strong young man, but he would never be too much of a tough guy to find comfort in his mother's hugs. "Mama...I can't lose her...I love Rosa too much. She knows how I feel, but...I'd rather go out in battle without hillbilly armor on my Jeep than lose her," he admitted.

"Someone once said, 'Love is a battlefield'. Your father took that to heart, and I'd say it fits your situation as well. I'm sure you'll know how to tell her when the time's right." Suddenly, the plane jerked, and the pilot called out over the loudspeaker that they were hitting some turbulence again. Lily stayed a moment longer, then went over to her own seat and buckled in.

Meanwhile, Rosa was trying to make her way back to the seat without falling onto her face from the turbulence. 'Ay, ay-eep! I really do not like plane rides...' she thought.

"Rosa? You all right?" Hassleberry asked as he caught her by her waist and got her into her seat. "Sorry for grabbin' you, but I didn't want you gettin' hurt." He grabbed another barf bag from the pocket in front of him and handed it to her. "Just in case..."

Rosa was actually quite thankful that Hassleberry had grabbed her when he did, because not a moment afterward the overhead compartment popped open. Heavy carry-on luggage crashed to the ground where Rosa had been staggering a second before, causing her to gasp. "Señor Hassleberry...tú saved me..." Rosa whispered. She wrapped her arms around him, though it was awkward since he was leaning over to grab the extra barf bag.

"Whoa!" he yelped. Then he got his arms around her. "Rosa...I don't want anything bad to ever happen to you...and I want to protect you...I love you..."

Rosa blushed a little at the sudden proclamation, but then smiled. "I love tú, too. Gracias for protecting me. I knew tú would," she replied, moving to kiss his cheek. However, the plane shook from the turbulence, and caused them to meet lips instead.

Hassleberry sensed this and kissed her gently. 'Oh, man...' If his parents saw, so what? He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Rosa if he could. Finally, the kiss ended and the turbulence did as well. He kept his arm around her, wanting Rosa to feel safe and loved.

Rosa sighed happily, resting her head on Hassleberry's shoulder. She glanced at her watch, and smiled when she realized it had only been half an hour. Rosa didn't mind, maybe plane rides weren't all that bad after all. She was able to spend time with her boyfriend, and that's all that mattered. 'Some day, I will give las Rosettas to Señor y Señora Hassleberry. I just know it,' she thought, closing her eyes. Rosa was sound asleep before all of the luggage had been cleared from the aisle.

"Rosa?" Hassleberry asked, glancing over at her. He saw was asleep against him, and tapped the flight attendant call button.

"Yes, sir?" a young Asian man asked.

"Could you get a blanket for my girlfriend?" Hassleberry asked. The flight attendant did and within a minute or two, Rosa was warm under the blanket. "Thanks, sir," the young man whispered to the attendant. "Sweet dreams, darlin'," he whispered, kissing her forehead. And the plane soared toward Houston International Airport.

_And that, loyal readers, concludes the chapter. We hope you enjoyed our glimpse into the start of Tyson and Rosa's summer together. Next time, we see the Truesdales and Annie Hanson. What's up with Annie's fainting? Has she been hiding something? If so, will she tell Sy? You'll just have to see in "Annie's Secret!" Until then, read and review!_


	10. Dinner with the Truesdales

Chapter X: Dinner with the Truesdales

_Welcome again, GX fans! Thank you again for your reviews of chapter nine! To answer AlexieJayFan's query about Hassleberry's leg, when a bone transfer is made under normal circumstances, you tend to end up with screws, pins and/or metal plates in your arm or leg. Therefore, it's probably a good bet that he has some metal in his leg. Anyway, we're glad we're able to keep you interested in our story which is a rather long tale._

_Originally, we said this chapter would be called "Annie's Secret." Due to length, that chapter is next time. This time, though, we're just dealing with dinner and a little good-natured family teasing. Enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX or anything else. They just own this idea and their respective OCs.**_

Back in Domino, Annie sat against the seat of the Truesdales' car, still a bit tired. "So this is where you guys live," she smiled, looking out the window as the car pulled up to a nice two-story Cape Cod-style house.

"Yeah. It's not much, but it's home. I can't believe it's been a whole year since I was back here..." replied Syrus.

"Well, why don't we start off your first night back with dinner? Zane, if you could get the wheelchair out of the back..." Darla stated, getting out of the car.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Annie apologized.

Zane sighed. "I can see why my brother likes you...You're both always apologizing needlessly..."

Annie blushed. "I just feel bad because you have to go to all this trouble...I'm such a spazz..."

"Sorry, Zane...uh, I mean, heh," Syrus sweat-dropped.

"Now, now, Annie, you are not a 'spazz'. You're a polite young lady," corrected Darla. She helped Annie get into the wheelchair, then allowed Syrus to roll it up to the house.

"I hope I can walk on my own in a minute," Annie said. "Um...Mr. Truesdale?"

"Please, call me Will, Annie..."

"Um, Will...can I try walking on my own a bit?"

"Hm…I don't see why you couldn't try. But let's get inside the house first," Darla said quickly.

Once they were inside, Syrus pushed the wheelchair into the living room. "That was a good idea, mom. Now, if she falls, she'll have a soft landing."

"SYRUS!" Annie yelped, red-faced.

Syrus realized what he'd said and blushed, staring at his shoes. "I'm sorry, Annie. That wasn't very nice. I'm not very good at this sort of stuff, am I?" he asked through a sigh.

Annie immediately felt contrite. "It's not that...It's just...I hate being weak..." She sighed.

"But you're not weak! I mean...you're one of the strongest people I know. At least, you're stronger than I'll ever be..." he mumbled, twiddling his thumbs sadly.

"You're stronger than me...you've faced duelists tougher than I have..." She looked at him. "I couldn't have faced the Paradox brothers...I'm only an Obelisk because I'm so smart and a girl..."

"Yeah, but...I did try to get replaced. And I messed up a lot in that duel..."

Darla sighed inwardly, realizing just how similar these two were. 'So nervous and polite, always having trouble believing in their abilities,' she thought.

"You are smart, a lot smarter than me. I mean, I'm not in Obelisk." Syrus added.

"You'll be in Obelisk..." Annie said.

Zane sighed. "Oh, lord..."

"What, Zane?" Annie asked.

"You two are so alike it's scary..."

Both kids looked at Zane. "Huh?"

Syrus blushed. "No we're not. She's way stronger and smarter than me. We're about as alike as, well...Violet and Bastion." He sighed rubbing his lower arm.

Zane smacked his forehead. "This is crazy. Syrus, you belong at Duel Academy and I think you could kick my butt in a duel… eventually."

Will Truesdale grinned. 'That's my boy,' he thought.

And Zane continued, "Annie...you're probably a better duelist than you think...and I know you wouldn't have fallen for my brother if you didn't see certain qualities, true?" Annie nodded.

"So...quit it..."

Syrus smiled a little. "All right, Zane. You win...as usual." Seeing the look on his brother's face, he sweat-dropped. "I-I mean, we'll stop...uh, why don't you try standing, Annie?" he added, changing the subject.

"Don't worry, sweetie. If you can't stand, none of us will think you're weak," stated Darla encouragingly.

Annie nodded. "Zane?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I duel you?"

Syrus' eyes widened. "Huh? But Annie, what if you...you know..." He was referring to her fainting problem, worried that she might get hurt.

"Not right now, silly! I meant later..." Annie explained.

Zane looked understandably surprised. "I was hoping you'd say that..."

"I think I'll try getting up now..." Annie said.

Syrus let out a sigh of relief, even if he was still nervous about the duel. "Okay...just be careful," he replied. 'I wonder what kind of deck she has, anyway...come to think of it, I've never seen Violet's deck, either. I don't think any of us have ever seen them duel,' he thought, surprised by this revelation.

Darla moved quickly and moved the footrests so Annie could step down onto the carpet. 'You'll be okay,' Annie told herself. 'You shouldn't be nervous...Oh, crap, Darla has to call Mom...just walk, Annie!' The girl put her feet on the ground and stood up, albeit shakily.

"Syrus?"

"Y-Yeah, Annie?"

"Could I lean on you?" she asked softly. She needed him to be strong for her and with her.

Syrus blushed a little, but knew he needed to be strong for them both. "Uh, sure..."he answered, taking a step towards her, allowing her to lean on him for support.

Annie took a few steps just using Sy for support. She might've made it to the couch just holding onto his shoulder, but then she felt weaker and leaned on him more heavily. "Oh..." she moaned, taking a few deep breaths.

Syrus' knees buckled a little under the weight, since Annie was bigger and heavier than him. But he kept standing, and managed to push Annie gently onto the couch. "Annie? Are you okay??" he asked worriedly.

Annie's eyes were closed as she breathed deep for a minute. She nodded, but didn't speak.

Darla walked over to check her pulse, noting that it was a bit ragged from the exertion but not dangerously so. "She's just fine, Syrus. Just a little tired from pushing herself like she did. Why don't you stay here with her while your father, brother, and I go get dinner fixed?" she offered, smiling. Syrus nodded, sitting beside Annie on the couch.

Will and Zane followed wife and mother into the kitchen. "Mom?" Zane asked, looking backward. "She does that a lot..."

Darla sighed as she unwrapped the meat loaf she'd made earlier. "It's likely that she has some sort of condition that makes her more susceptible to fainting, Zane. Perhaps low blood sugar or a weak heart. I can't be sure myself, but I do know that fainting as she's been doing isn't good," she explained, frowning.

The 19-year-old looked worried. "She hasn't said anything..."

Will looked at his eldest son. "Zane, she'll tell us when she's ready..."

"Dad, they've been dating for a few months now and they've been friends since their first year…" Zane sighed. "I think she should be ready to tell him..."

Darla listened to their conversation as she filled a bowl with creamed corn and another with spinach. "Zane, sometimes it's hard to tell the person you love something. No matter how important it is. I'm sure that she'll tell him soon, just be patient..."

The teen boy looked a bit puzzled, which was unusual. Will sighed. "Relationships can be complicated, kiddo, but it's worth it...especially when you're with the one you love the most," he concluded, smiling at his wife.

Darla smiled back, leaning over to plant a swift kiss on his cheek. "You'll understand when you find a girlfriend, sweetie. Speaking of which, isn't it about time you found someone? I mean, you're brother's two years younger than you and he found a nice girl."

"MOM!" Zane yelped, embarrassed. "It's...man!"

Darla chuckled a little, turning to kiss her eldest son on the forehead. "Now, Zane, I was just teasing is all. Let's take these goodies into the dining room," she stated, placing some biscuits on a tray.

"Okay, Mom...don't worry, I'll find somebody..." Zane said.

"We know you will, Zane," Will said, mussing his eldest son's hair.

Meanwhile, back in the living room, Annie was regaining her color. "I'm sorry, Sy...I keep scaring you..."

"Don't be sorry, Annie. I'm just...glad that you're okay. I'd be so sad if anything bad happened to you..."

"Mind if I lay down a minute?" Annie asked. "I'm tired...and...I feel so safe with you..."

Syrus blushed and nodded, moving over to make room. "R-Really? No one's ever felt safe with me, before. Usually, it's the other way around..."

Annie laid down, her head resting against him. "I don't see why...you're so sweet..."

"Well...I'm not very...brave. I always get scared and run away. Just ask Jaden...or Zane," Syrus replied, frowning sadly.

"You're braver than you think, Sy..." she countered, feeling pleasantly warm in Sy's arms. "You don't leave their friends when they're in trouble..."

Syrus blushed again, knowing she was right and had a good point. "Yeah, I guess so. But I want to be strong like Zane, so that I can protect you..."

"You already do protect me...Syrus, I love you 'cause you're you..." Annie smiled, drifting off.

Syrus blushed...again. "I love you, too, Annie. For the same reason." He didn't notice her falling asleep, and just figured she was too tired to say anything else.

In the dining room, all of the food and plates had been set out. "All right, boys, I'll go get the young love birds," Darla said, walking into the living room.

"My little brother...good grief, Dad..." Zane said, smiling.

Will grinned knowingly. "Jealous?"

"Not really," the young man said, "and for the record, I've had opportunities in the Pro Leagues, but...the girls just throw themselves at you..."

"I'm glad you're not looking for cheap flings, Zane...you will find someone. And your mom was teasing."

Zane smiled. "It is pretty incredible that Sy did it, though...he's always been so nervous...but...he's brave around Annie..."

Meanwhile, back in the living room, Annie was sound asleep. "Aw, isn't that just adorable?" cooed Darla, grinning.

Syrus blushed, finally realizing that Annie had fallen asleep. "Mom!" he hissed.

Darla laughed quietly, then walked over to gently shake Annie's arm. "Annie, sweetie, come on. I know you're tired, but you have to eat something. Then Syrus can show you to your guest room and you can get some well-needed rest."

Annie stirred. "Wha--?" She was so sleepy and Syrus made a nice pillow. She sat up and shook her head to wake herself up. "Oh, did I fall asleep? Okay..." She moved and got herself up, feeling a bit more steady this time. She smelled the meatloaf and smiled. "Yum! Meatloaf!"

"Oh, I'm glad you're okay with that. I was hoping you weren't allergic or anything. There's also corn, spinach, and biscuits," Darla explained, smiling.

Syrus grimaced as he stood. "Spinach? Yuck. Mom..." he groaned.

"Now, Syrus, and here you wonder why you haven't grown much. You need to eat your vegetables to become big and strong like your brother."

Annie giggled. "I love everything, Darla...a little too much, I'm afraid."

Zane heard this exchange and yelled, "Mom'll love that, Annie! We never eat enough to please her!"

"I constantly tell them that they should eat more. Really, have you seen how thin they are? Why, I could snap them in half if I wanted to," Darla explained, frowning. She helped Syrus lead Annie into the dining room and sit down, before taking seats themselves.

Annie blushed. "Everything looks so good..." She was sitting next to Syrus. "I can't believe you don't like spinach. I love it."

Zane and Will exchanged glances and laughed. "You really do love everything, don't you?" Will smiled. "Good girl. You eat all you want."

Zane also grinned. "So, do you have a favorite food, Annie?"

She nodded. "I love watermelon in the summer...and there's this one ice cream I like but they haven't had it at 31 Flavors in like forever...What about you, Sy?"

"Well, maybe for once we won't have a bunch of leftovers," Darla stated happily.

Syrus, meanwhile, thought for a moment before answering. "Well...I really like fried shrimp, even though Jaden and Violet usually ate it all back at school. But my favorite food has always been black cherries."

Darla smiled. "Yup. He used to eat an entire bowl full, and the juice would be all over his face and clothes..."

"Mom!!"

Zane grinned. "Isn't there that picture of him when he was five and ate a whole bunch?"

Annie giggled at the image of a five-year-old Syrus with cherry juice all over him. "I bet that was cute. I know Mom has a picture of me with a huge slice of watermelon...I got it all over..."

Syrus sent the darkest look he could muster at his older brother, which completely backfired and made him look twice as cute.

"Why yes I do, Zane. Annie, if you'd like, I can show you the family album after dinner," Darla offered.

"That'd be nice, and I know my mom will show Sy my album..." She noticed Sy's expression and said, "Sy...everybody has stuff like that...I know there's a picture of my brother that he wanted erased."

Will smiled. "I know there's a picture of Zane in the album when he was two and ran around the house naked for two hours..."

"DAD!"

Syrus grinned, stifling his laugher as best as he could. "Well, you'll see after dinner, sweetie. I'm sure that both of our families have been through quite a few odd situations in the past," Darla explained, smiling.

"Yeah," Annie said. "There's this picture of me when I was like three and I decided I wanted to be a Star Trek alien...Mom couldn't figure out what I was doing..." The girl blushed. "And then I decided I wanted to be like one of the doctors on 'Grey's Anatomy,' so I ran around quoting the doctor I liked...That one ended up sticking and I want to be a doctor. I guess I'll be known as the Dueling Doctor," she concluded.

"It's nice to know that you'd like to be a doctor, Annie. I remember when Syrus got into my medical bag once. He tried to dress-up like a mummy and scare me by wrapping gauze around himself," Darla reminisced, chuckling. Syrus groaned and blushed, sinking down in his seat.

Annie giggled. "Mom thinks I'll be an okay general practitioner if..." She trailed off and blushed. "Anyway, um...I picked the wrong doctor to quote that day... My dad was about ten shades of red..."

"Which doctor did you quote?" Will asked curiously. "I watch 'Grey's Anatomy,' kiddo, so who was it?"

"Um...Doctor Bailey..." Annie was blushing furiously.

"I don't get it. Why is that so bad?" asked Syrus. Darla didn't quite understand either, unless it was the episode she thought it was.

"It was the episode when she had her baby..." Annie explained. She was really blushing now. 'I did it again...in front of guys!' she thought in horror.

"Uh...so what exactly did you say that made your dad blush?" asked Syrus, still not comprehending the problem. Darla had quite the idea of it now, but didn't say anything. Will was smirking, trying to hold back his laughter.

"Um...'O'Malley...stop looking at my va-jay-jay...'" Annie's face was deeper red than the Slifer jackets now and she buried her face in her hands.

Zane and Will cracked up. "Oh, man that must've been priceless!" Zane crowed.

Syrus finally understood, and blushed a little.

Darla sighed and gave the men a look. "Hush, you two. Now, Annie, we all make mistakes. Especially when we're young and don't know any better. Zane, I remember when you came home from school one day and asked me why the health teacher had given your 'wee-wee' a weird name."

Zane turned crimson. "What?!" he yelped. "MOM!"

Annie asked, suddenly feeling less embarrassed, "What happened?"

"Well, I simply told him that was what everyone called it. That the name he'd given it was just a nickname," Darla explained. Syrus was barely able to stay on his chair while laughing so hard.

Annie giggled again. "Oh. That's no big deal. I didn't even know what Doctor Bailey meant and then Mom had to explain it. And then I told her I wanted to be like Dr. Bailey..." She smiled. "Is being a doctor hard and do you think I could handle it?" She slipped her hand into Sy's hand under the table. Syrus blushed, but squeezed Annie's hand a little.

"Well, it all depends on how much you love what you're doing. I always tell my boys that if you don't love your job then it's not worth doing. And I love helping people who come to the hospital," Darla explained.

"What kind of doctor are you, Darla?" Annie asked.

"Well, I'm an OB/GYN, dear," Darla replied.

"You deliver babies? Wow..." Annie looked admiringly at the other female in the room. "You get to bring new lives into the world... I'll bet it's amazing..."

"Oh, it is, sweetie. It gives you sense of accomplishment only known when you've done something worthwhile. I wouldn't prefer any other job," Darla explained.

"I hope I can find that..." Annie smiled. And then things fell silent for a bit as everyone ate.

"So then, who wants dessert? I managed to squeeze in time for a cherry pie, if anyone's interested," Darla offered.

Syrus grinned, liking regular cherries almost as much as black ones. "Me, Mom!"

"Us, too!" Zane and Will grinned.

"Me, also! Thanks, Darla!" Annie said, smiling. "You're amazing! Was today your day off?" she asked.

"Well, I didn't have much scheduled for today, so I was able to get off earlier than usual." Darla stood and walked into the kitchen, returning a moment later with the pie. She set it on the table and passed out some slices to everyone, taking one for herself as well.

Annie took a big bite, smiling, chewed and swallowed. "This is delicious..."

"Awesome, honey," Will added.

"Man, I missed this, Mom," Zane added.

"Yeah, thanks, Mom! You're the greatest!!" added Syrus.

Darla was blushing a little, resembling her youngest child. "Oh, you all! Now you've gone and made me blush, you sillies."

_And that's where we end this chapter. We thank you in advance for your reviews and we hope you will stay tuned for the next chapter, "Annie's Secret." Read, review and thank you very much!_


	11. Annie's Secret

Chapter XI: Annie's Secret

_Hello again from your authoress duo, Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15! We are so glad you're staying with "Summer Love, Summer Fears," even though this chapter marks the beginning of something big. Thank you, everyone for your reviews. They give us reasons to update quicker! We also thank you for making guesses on what's wrong with Annie and we should warn you…it isn't funny. Anyway, on with the story!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own GX or anything else but their idea and their OCs.**_

Before long, the pie was finished and everyone was sitting around casually. Annie felt pretty stupid for being so nervous. 'It's like home,' she realized. 'I wonder...'

Zane hadn't read her thoughts, but he might as well have. "Hey, Mom? You guys should hear Annie sing..."

"Oh! I didn't know that you could sing, Annie," Darla replied, smiling.

"Yeah, Mom. She's really good at it, too," Sy complimented.

Annie blushed. "Well...if you wanted, I could sing something for you...I'd like to..."

"Oh, go right ahead, sweetie. I'd love to hear your singing voice," the mother coaxed.

Zane looked at his brother's girlfriend. "I heard from some very reliable sources that you sang something that got the girls fired up the day you and Sy finally decided you were more than friends..."

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I could sing that one!" Annie stood up. "Sy..."

"Y-Yeah, Annie?" He blushed, knowing what was coming.

"This song helped me...ask you to the movie night...and it made me hope you would...a-actually like me...m-more than a friend," she blushed. And then she took a deep breath. "It's called 'Faith of the Heart,' and it's all about going where your heart will take you..." Annie then breathed deep again, and sang, "It's been a long road, gettin' from there to here..." Annie sang the entire song, and concluded with a soft bow.

Darla clapped softly, but enthusiastically, when the song had finished. "That was beautiful, sweetie. You really do have quite the singing voice." Syrus was still blushing a little, clapping as hard as he could muster while in his dazed state of mind.

"Thanks, Darla..."

"You have a good voice," Will said. "Annie, I'm impressed."

"Thanks, Will."

"I can see how you inspired the girls with that one," Zane added. Annie blushed sweetly from all the praise.

And then she kissed Sy on the cheek. "I thank my inspiration..."

A rush of crimson spread across Syrus's cheeks as he blushed like mad. "It was a nice song, Annie. I'm glad you think of me that way. I love you, too. Sorry I can't sing for you, though."

"I'll sing for both of us," she said, and then tried unsuccessfully to hide a yawn.

"Looks like someone needs to get some sleep. Syrus, go ahead and show her to her room," Darla stated warmly.

Syrus nodded, helping Annie to stand and leading her upstairs. "Your room's across the hall from mine," he explained.

"Okay...Um, Sy?" Annie asked.

"Yeah?" Syrus replied.

"After I've got my pajamas on, could you come in my room for a bit? I...get kind of nervous in strange places..." Annie admitted shyly.

Syrus blushed a little. "Oh, all right. I know how you feel. I don't like being somewhere unfamiliar too much," he admitted back. They reached her room, and he led her inside. The walls were painted a beige color, with red carpeting, a maroon-covered four-poster bed, and a mahogany dresser. Her suitcase was sitting by the door.

"Oh, my...this is pretty!" Annie said, eyes wide. "This is how I think the Slifer dorms should look...It's not fair that Obelisks get everything..." She added, "I just think you should've had it better last year..."

"Yeah, well, it doesn't help that Dr. Crowler hated Slifers then. And he has a lot of authority," Syrus replied, frowning.

"I wrote a letter to Seto Kaiba, Joey Wheeler and Yugi Muto about how we're not treated equally...but I understand Yugi approved the whole rank thing. I don't think he was right on that," Annie said, voice a bit tense. "And I think Dr. Crowler can be a real jerk sometimes," she added.

"Well, maybe Yugi didn't know it'd be so bad. Dr. Crowler was a bit mean but he's gotten better. I wish he was nicer like the other teachers," he explained.

"I wanted to steal his make-up..." Annie said. "And replace it..." She had a mischievous look on her face.

"Oh no, Annie, I think Violet's starting to rub off on you," Syrus warned, laughing a little.

"Actually, that's all me...Violet thought I was nuts when I snuck into his room our first year..." Annie grinned.

Syrus' eyes widened. "You're kidding! Annie, you could have gotten into big trouble!! Maybe even expelled..."

"Nope! And I wore gloves and everything...And I know how to disable security cameras..." Annie was dead serious, and thankful she hadn't keeled over that day. "I found out he gets expensive lipstick from Italy, and that he uses face powder!" she giggled. "I'd have him looking like Ronald McDonald for what he did to you..." Her eyes were suddenly fiery, thinking of the past injustice. She held grudges and Dr. Crowler's mistreatment of Sy and Jaden still infuriated her.

Syrus blushed a little, then sweat-dropped at her look. "Uh...Annie, thanks for that. But really, I don't want you to risk getting in trouble just for me. Besides, we couldn't see each other if you got expelled..."

Annie calmed down. "He tried to get you expelled and Jaden, too...that just made me so mad...I almost went to Chancellor Shepherd..."

"I know, Annie. But he's done that to a lot of students. I don't know why he was so mean, but there wasn't much we could do about it. Besides, we didn't get expelled in the end," Syrus continued quietly.

Annie nodded. "True..." And then she went a bit pale. "I'm going to get my pajamas on, all right, Sy? And then I can come get you..."

"All right, Annie. If you need anything, just yell. I'll be right across the hallway." Syrus left the room and went to his own, which had light blue walls and a grey carpet. His bed was navy blue, which he sat on as he slipped on his sky blue cotton pajamas.

Annie, meanwhile, knelt down and opened her suitcase. She was grateful that she'd gotten a really nice pair of pajamas for Christmas. They were royal purple silk and she slipped them on along with a pair of lavender ballet-style bedroom slippers and went and brushed her teeth. And then she padded across the hall to Sy's room. "Sy?" she called, knocking on the door.

Syrus had been cleaning his glasses when he heard the knock, quickly placing them back on his nose. "Coming, Annie!" He stood and walked over to the door, opening it with a smile on his face.

Annie smiled when he opened the door. He looked so cute in his pajamas, the sky blue color fitting with his hair and bringing out his eyes. "I like your pajamas," she said.

Syrus blushed. "Yours look nice, too. So...what exactly did you want to do, Annie?" he asked, twiddling his thumbs.

"Could you stay in my room with me at least until I fall asleep?" she asked again, shyly. "I wasn't afraid to fall asleep here when you were with me..."

Syrus' blushed intensified a little. "U-Uh...sure, Annie, I can stay with you..."he answered nervously. They went to her room, and Syrus warily sat on the bed.

Annie snuggled down into the warm bed and got comfortable. "Sy, why don't you snuggle down with me?" She blushed a little. "I don't want you to get cold..."

Syrus blushed, eyes wide. "A-Are you sure, Annie? I mean, I don't want to b-be a..." He swallowed and noticed that he was indeed shivering.

"A nuisance?" Annie asked. "No, I'm asking you...I need you here...Please, Sy..."

"W-well, all right..."Syrus replied. He lifted the covers and crawled under them, lying nervously beside Annie. 'Oh man, oh man! I'm in bed...with a girl!! No, not just any girl-Annie!!' he thought.

"Sy..." Annie said, swallowing. She was nervous, too, and she wasn't sure how to tell him this next thing.

"Y-Yeah, Annie?"

"I'm sorry I've been scaring you lately...but...I'm kind of scared too..."

"What are you scared of, Annie?"

Annie took a deep breath. "I've fainted all my life, but...it's gotten worse lately..."

Syrus' eyes widened. "W-What do you mean, Annie?" he asked worriedly.

"The last time I was home, the doctor said that if I ever got the way I've been lately, it means there might be something really wrong..."

Syrus frowned, biting his lower lip. "Well, Annie...if there is something wrong with you, I'll be here. You won't have to go through it alone. Uh, is that okay?"

"Thanks, Sy," Annie said. "I was scared to tell you..." She pulled close to him, needing to be sure he was there.

Syrus blushed, but wrapped his small arms around her protectively. "I may not be as strong as the others...but, I'll protect you as best I can, Annie. I don't know what I'd do if...anything happened to you..." he whispered.

"You're stronger..." Annie whispered as she drifted off.

"Stronger? But, Annie, I..." he began. However, light snoring interrupted him, and he looked down only to find Annie fast asleep. Sighing, he leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead, before closing his eyes. "I will be strong...for you, Annie..."

About half an hour later, Zane noticed that Syrus wasn't in his bedroom. "Syrus?" he called, and then noticed Annie's door was open. 'What the..?' he thought, heading down and opening it to see the two sound asleep, Sy holding Annie.

"Zane? What are you doing??" Darla whispered. She'd been headed towards the bathroom, but stopped when she saw Zane standing there.

"Mom," Zane whispered, "come here...look at this." Will Truesdale also tiptoed down the hall, catching his son's soft tone.

Darla looked confusedly at her eldest son for a moment, before going over to peer into the room. "Oh my goodness...Will, our little boy's growing up..." she whispered happily.

"Mom, they didn't do anything..." Zane whispered, looking at the sleeping younger teens and misunderstanding his mother.

"I know, Zane. I mean, Syrus never would have had the courage to do this until Annie came along. He was getting braver, but I think she's a great influence on him," Darla explained, smiling.

Will smiled. "Let's leave them. If we wake Sy now, he'll freak..."

"That's my boy, all right," giggled Darla quietly. She softly closed the door, glad that Syrus had found someone. 'Now if only Zane would stop being so serious and find a girl to love. Oh well, at least one of them found true love...' she thought.

And Zane went to his room and climbed into his own bed. 'Good going, little brother. Just keep Annie safe...and hopefully she'll tell you and us what's going on...'

_And so we know now that Annie knows something's wrong with her. She doesn't know what that is, but she knows something is and she's scared. So what will happen next? You'll just have to keep reading, won't you? We each hope you will! Next time, we will see the gang and the next morning! Until next time, read and review! Thank you!_


	12. Morning Grace

Chapter XII: Morning Grace

_Hello, again, folks and welcome back to "Summer Love, Summer Fears." You'll be glad to know that this chapter is a bit more light-hearted, with a little Chazz angst. He's getting through his issues, but he won't overnight. That aside, there are some funny moments between two of our Domino couples! So we hope you enjoy this next chapter!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own GX. We also don't exclusively own the title of this chapter; it is the opening song for the anime, "Princess Tutu." We only own our OCs and this story idea and our version of the Yugi-verse.**_

The next morning, at the Rhodes residence, Jaden Yuki awoke, feeling warm. Alexis mumbled in her sleep, pushing out her hand to effectively smack Jaden's forehead. "Go, Cyber Tutu..." Meanwhile, Atticus was snoring like an earthquake on top of Chazz.

"Mrph! GET OFF YOU MORON!" Chazz yelled, awakening, feeling nearly smothered.

Atticus, of course, could sleep through mentioned earthquake with ease. So, Chazz's outburst hardly fazed him, and instead of waking up the big boy wrapped his arms around the younger one. Judging by his blush, Atticus was likely dreaming about one of his cute fan girls. Chazz, undaunted, shoved the bigger boy off the couch, startling Jaden and Alexis from slumber. "GET OFF!" Chazz shouted again.

"Ah-oof!" gasped Atticus. He'd landed on his head, and now lay on the floor rubbing the fresh bump. Alexis would have jumped to her feet in surprise, but blushed upon discovering Jaden on top of her.

"Uh...morning, Lex," Jaden said, blushing, feeling...he didn't totally know what he was feeling but he moved off of her quickly.

Alexis cleared her throat and stood, trying to force down her blush. "Uh...did we all fall asleep out here?"

Atticus raised his face off the floor, glancing around the room. "Looks like it, Lexi! Mom probably brought out the blankets."

"Chazz?" Jaden asked. "You okay?"

Chazz nodded. "I'm okay..."

"That's good. We were worried about you, Chazz..."Alexis stated.

Atticus had by now stood, glancing into the kitchen. "Oh, hey Mom! Hi, Dad!!" he greeted, grinning.

"Morning, kids!" Scout said happily, still in her microfiber red pajamas and a robe. "Jaden, honey, your mom and dad didn't want to wake you, so they thought they'd let you sleep over."

"Oh...thanks, Mrs. Rhodes..."

"So, did you kids sleep all right? I know the living room furniture can be kind of stiff..." Jack asked, in a pair of black jeans and a beige sweater. He always did like freshening up first thing in the morning.

"Yeah, Dad. It was...great," Alexis replied and blushed a little.

Atticus chuckled a little, grabbing the orange juice container from the fridge. "Of course it was great! You got to sleep with Jaden!!"

"ATTY!!"

Jaden may not have been the brightest kid on the planet, but he knew what that meant. "ATTICUS! We didn't do anything!"

Atticus blinked. "What? You guys slept with each other on the chair. What's the big deal??" he asked, pouring himself a glass. Alexis and her parents sweat-dropped, wondering if Atticus was playing coy or really had no idea.

Jaden and Chazz looked at each other and face-palmed. "Anyhow...what's going to happen with me?" the raven-haired boy asked, a little fear in his storm-cloud gray eyes. "I...don't want to be alone..."

Jack smiled at this. "Well, Chazz, Jaden's father is a lawyer. We talked for a bit last night after you kids fell asleep, and decided that we'd try to gain custody of you," he began.

Alexis and Atticus' eyes widened. "Really??" they both asked.

"Chazz..." Jaden's face lit up. "That's SWEET! We'll get to hang out all the time!"

"Oh, great..." Chazz groaned, yet somehow not minding now. "Why would you, though? Why would you want an emo pathetic loser like me? Nobody does..." he asked, his expression becoming unsure and a bit sad.

Scout knelt down. "What you just said...Do you really believe it?"

Chazz looked into her brown eyes. "I...don't know...I mean...my brothers hate me...and just about everybody at Duel Academy who said they were my friends ditched me after I lost to Bastion, and look how I dress! I'm an emo pathetic loser!"

Jack sighed. "Chazz, your brothers' opinions aren't worth the dirt under our feet. They're terrible, evil men who don't even know how to take care of their own family. As for your old friends, they obviously weren't really your friends. But look around, and then think, about all of the true friends you have now. They all care and worry about you, Chazz..."

Jaden looked at him, the typical happy-go-lucky expression gone from his face. "Chazz...I never hated you...and I'd much rather be friends. And...in a few years, you'll be my brother-in-law..."

Alexis understood what Jaden meant and blushed. "I agree with Jaden. Chazz, just because I don't have the same feelings for you that you have for me, that doesn't mean I hate you. You're my friend, and I wouldn't want it any other way."

Atticus smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it just wouldn't feel the same without you! Everyone would miss you!!" he added.

"And I'm sure that the others feel much the same way, Chazz. As for your clothing, many people wear black. Just because you like it, doesn't make you 'emo'. It shows that you have our own unique style."Jack finished.

"Alexis?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah, Chazz?" she replied curiously.

"You know why I thought I liked you that way?"

Now she was really interested as he'd referred to his feelings in the past tense. "Why, Chazz?"

"I guess...it was because you had people around you... and you had a brother that didn't hate you..."

Alexis smiled softly, then walked over to pull him into a gentle hug. "Well, Chazz, if things work out...I'll have another brother to love. And you'll have a family again, a real one that cares for you."

Chazz felt the hug, and no longer felt the feelings of romance toward Alexis that he once did. "Thanks...sis..." he said softly.

And then Jaden tackled Chazz in a hug. "We love you man!" Atticus followed suit, joining in the dog-pile of teens on the kitchen floor.

Jack laughed, walking over to place his empty coffee mug in the sink. "Well, we're going to call Kaiba Corp today and find out if they have footage from the school duel. If they do, we can use that to gain leverage against the Princeton brothers." Jack referred to them as such, because none of them considered Chazz to be a Princeton anymore. Soon, hopefully, he'd be a Rhodes.

Jaden scowled. "Those jerks... I hated the way they treated you...If I was bigger, I would've kicked Slade where the sun doesn't shine..."

Chazz stared. "Well, mouthing off had a similar effect," the boy said. "I don't think anybody ever stood up to them before, Jaden. Thanks..."

"Hey, you guys know what something as great as this calls for, right??" asked Atticus, standing.

"Oh, no..." Chazz groaned.

"Anything but that!" Jaden groaned. In Hollywood, Simon Cowell shuddered.

Atticus blinked, confused again and holding the cordless phone. "What? You guys don't want to hang out with the others and celebrate??" he asked, pouting.

Alexis sighed. "Alright, Atty, go ahead and call them. It'll be nice to get out and see the city, anyway," replied Alexis.

"Oh, we thought you were..." Jaden said and trailed off, flushed.

"Though I was gonna what?" Atticus asked as he dialed the Truesdales' number. Jack was just as confused as his son, but decided to stay out of it.

"Nothing..." Jaden and Chazz said together.

At the Truesdale residence, Zane awoke to the ringing phone in his room. "Urmph...Hello?" He was glad he didn't have a video phone because at this time of the morning his hair was sticking out all over the place.

"Hi ya, Zane! Guess who?" yelled Atticus cheerfully. Alexis sighed, able to imagine the look Zane had on his face right now.

"Atticus? It's 7 in the morning and we're on summer break...why are you calling me?"

Zane growled, truly a bit grumpy.

"I was wondering if you, Little Blue, and the Anne-meister wanted to hang out today! We have some great news to tell you guys!!" Atticus was the picture of giddiness, the exact opposite of Zane on the other end of the phone.

"Atticus...what the heck is going on? Did you put a bunch of sugar in your coffee this morning or something?"

"Zane, I don't drink coffee! I thought I told you that the last time you told me to switch to decaf!!"

"You could've fooled me...So what is going on?!" the Pro League champ asked, getting exasperated.

"Nuh-uh, Zane. I'm not telling unless you agree to come to Domino Park with Sy and Annie!" he replied teasingly.

"Wait...is Jaden with you guys?" He could hear Jaden cracking up in the background. "And...Chazz?!"

"Yup and yup, Zane! So, are you coming or not?" Atticus was now getting impatient. He still had to call Bastion!

"All right...I have to go and wake those two up...Sy fell asleep with Annie last night..." Zane grinned wickedly.

Jaden and Chazz, now quiet, heard that on the other side of the line. "What?!" they whispered in shock.

Atticus whistled and grinned, pulling the phone away for a moment. "Hey, guys! Annie and Sy slept together last night!! Talk about a coincidence, huh??"

"Sy?" Jaden said in shock.

Chazz grinned, "He finally beat us at something..."

Alexis sighed. "You guys DO know that he probably means they slept together the same way Jaden and I did, right?" She got a dangerous look in her eyes.

"Yeah...but we can tease him about it, sis!" Chazz grinned. It felt good just to be Lexi's brother, even if it was just pretend for now.

Alexis grinned. "All right, all right. Just don't go overboard. But you know, I wonder if..."she trailed off, deep in thought.

Meanwhile, Atticus had returned to his phone conversation. "Remember, Zane. Domino Park at noon! Bye-bye!!" He hung up and dialed Bastion's number.

Across town, at the Misawa residence, the phone rang. Katai answered. "Hello, Misawa residence..."

"Oh, hi, Mrs. Misawa. This is Atticus Rhodes, Bastion's friend. Can I talk to him?"

Katai smiled. "Hello, Atticus. You can call me Katai. And I'll go wake him." Katai set the phone down and walked upstairs to Bastion's room. The door was ajar. "Bastion? Sweetie? It's time to... OH MY GOSH!"

Violet cried out in surprise as she was abruptly woken by the shout, sending her careening off of Bastion's bed and to the floor. "Ow...did anyone get the license number of that truck?"

"What the...MUM?" Bastion yelped. "Mum! This isn't what it looks like!" Katai was very dazed.

Violet was still lying on the floor, half-asleep mind trying to register what exactly was happening. 'I was scared of the thunderstorm. Bastion agreed to let me sleep with him. We cuddled. It's morning. There was a yell. A high-pitched one. But what...?' she thought.

"Good morning, Violet," Katai said. "Did you...sleep well?" Bastion had his face in his hands as he sat on his bed in his pajamas.

Finally, the reality of the situation hit Violet, and her face turned beat red. "Oh geez...Katai, we didn't do anything! I swear!! I-I was scared of the thunderstorm last night and...and...I'm sorry." Violet had moved onto her knees, burying her burning face into the blankets of Bastion's bed. 'This is all my fault. Poor Bastion baby...'she thought.

Bastion looked up and noticed his mother was smiling. "I know you're both good kids…"

"Mum?" Bastion asked in surprise. "You were..."

"I was surprised, honey. You've just never had a girl in your bed before."

Bastion blushed. "Yeah..."

Violet was relieved that Katai understood; she knew that her own parents probably wouldn't have. She lifted her face from the sheets, looking thankfully at Katai. "That's good...I'm sorry we surprised you, Katai." Violet climbed back onto the bed, placing a sweet 'good morning' kiss on Bastion's cheek.

Bastion blushed red. "Uh, Violet darling, I'll be right back. Mum...could I talk to you?" Katai nodded, and together, mother and son headed out of the room.

Violet sighed contentedly, flopping back down onto the bed. The spot Bastion had been occupying was still nice and warm, so she curled up and breathed in his scent from the pillow. 'Last night was the most wonderful night of my entire life...' she thought, yawning a little.

"Mum..." Bastion explained once they were out in the hall, "she was scared and I wanted to make her feel better, but, um..."

Just then, Hiro appeared at the top of the stairs. He was dressed in khaki pants and a white dress shirt, hair neatly combed back into a style similar to Bastion's. "Good morning, 

Katai, darling. Good morning, son. What are you doing up this early? I thought you were going to sleep in like kids usually do on vacation..."

"Um...well, Mum woke us up, Dad..." Bastion admitted.

"Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot! Bastion, get downstairs! Atticus is waiting on the phone..." Bastion headed down the stairs quickly and Katai smiled at her husband. "They fell asleep in Bastion's room, honey. Violet's afraid of thunderstorms."

"Ah, I see. Well, they didn't do anything drastic, so I'm fine with it. Where is Violet, anyway?" Hiro asked. Light snoring could be heard from Bastion's room, Violet having dozed off.

Meanwhile, at the Rhodes' residence, Atticus was staring at the wall. 'Boring...' he thought.

"Atticus! Dreadfully sorry to keep you waiting! What's going on?" Bastion's voice said on the line.

Atticus snapped awake, blinking. "Hey, Bastion! What took you?? I was waiting forever..." he whined, pouting.

"Er...Violet fell asleep with me last night...and Mum found us this morning..." Bastion admitted.

Atticus once more pulled the phone away from his ear. "Hey, guys! Bastion and-" began Atticus.

However, Alexis beat him to the punch. "Let me guess. Bastion and Violet slept with each other, too, right?" she asked drily. Atticus grinned sheepishly.

"Man...I think we all had weird nights..." Jaden observed.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning call, Atticus?" Bastion asked.

"Oh, right! Well, I was going to ask if you and Violet wanted to meet up with all of us and hang out today. It'll be fun! We're meeting in Domino Park at noon," Atticus explained eagerly.

"We as in?" Bastion wondered. "Did Chazz take you up on your offer to stay with you?"

"Yup! And there's more, but I'm not tellin' until we all meet up later!! That means me, Lexi, Jaden, Chazz, Zane, Sy, and Annie. Rosa and Hassleberry couldn't come 'cause...uh..." Atticus pulled away the phone. "Why couldn't they come again?" he asked.

"They're in Texas by now..." Jaden said.

"Oh, right!" Atticus went back to the phone. "They couldn't come 'cause they're in cowboy land!!" he explained.

Alexis face-faulted in exasperation. "Atty!!"

"Well, it's too bad about that, but we can have quite a time together. But is something going on, Atticus?" Bastion asked.

"You bet there is! Just be in Domino Park at noon, Bastion!! And don't forget to bring Violet!" Atticus reminded before hanging up. "All right! Everyone's coming!!"he cheered happily.

Alexis smiled. "That's great. At least we can tell almost everyone about the turn of events," she stated.

"Yeah," Chazz said.

Jaden got an arm around Chazz. "This is gonna be one heck of a summer, bro! And today's gonna rock!"

"Well...I've never just played in the park before...I...never really had anybody to play with..."

"Well, Lexi and I used to play in the park all the time. I bet the other guys who lived here did, too. Violet and Annie probably played in the parks where they lived, so everyone will show you how to have fun!" explained Atticus excitedly.

"Well, I'm off to work. You kids enjoy your first day of vacation with your friends. Don't get into any trouble now."Jack stated. He placed a kiss on Scout's cheek, hugged his daughter, waved goodbye to the three boys before walking out the door.

_And there you have chapter 12. What will happen next? What are Annie and Sy up to? And what hi-jinks will the gang get up to in the park! Just read and review and read again to find out! Thanks!_


	13. Firsts

Chapter XIII: Firsts…

_Welcome back, everyone, to "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" In the last chapter, we found out that Chazz is happy with having a sister in Alexis Rhodes and a big brother. We also found out that Bastion's parents are extremely understanding, as many parents in their position, finding a girl in their son's bed might totally freak out. And so, we continue our tale of the morning, with the Truesdales and the Rhodes family and Jaden. For those of you who want to see Violet and Bastion, you'll just have to wait until next chapter! Thanks to our six reviewers and on with the story._

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, nor do they own much else except for their OCs and story ideas. **_

_**Warning: Some Annie worry and Chazz sadness in this chapter. Thank you.**_

Meanwhile, back at the Truesdales, Zane got out of bed, and headed to the shower. "Urgh...stupid Atticus...just had to wake me up..." He cleaned off and then headed into his room, got his boxers on and then a blue t-shirt and dark shorts. 'Now to wake up Annie and Sy, if Mom and Dad don't want to...' he thought. But he needn't have worried.

Syrus turned slightly in his sleep, bumping noses with Annie whom was cuddled up next to him. Then, the door opened, and Darla Truesdale walked over to the bed. 'Oh, they look so peaceful. I wish I didn't have to wake them up...' she thought, smiling.

Annie, though, was an early riser and was sort of waking up when Darla walked in. Her big blue eyes opened. "Um...Darla?" She blushed a little, carefully moving so not to wake Syrus.

Darla was surprised a little when Annie spoke. "Oh, Annie, I didn't think that you would be up."

Annie yawned. "I thought I heard you..." She sat up a little. "I...asked Syrus to stay in here with me last night. I hope that's okay..."

"Oh, don't worry. It's perfectly all right, sweetie. I came in here to wake you two up. It's not healthy to sleep in too late. Besides, I have to get to work in a little while, and you two need breakfast before that," Darla explained.

"Oh, okay...Um...Darla? Could I tell you something? I told Syrus last night, and I figured you'd want to know before you left today..." Annie swallowed nervously. "It's kind of important..."

"Of course, sweetie. You can tell me anything. Does it have to do with the fainting?" she asked quietly.

Annie nodded. "The doctors back home were a little worried, but they said they'd be more worried if I started doing it more...And I have been..." She sighed. "They said if I kept doing it, there might be something really wrong with me..."

"Oh, my. I was worried it might be something serious. Did they put you on any sort of medication?"

Annie shook her head. "Not yet...but if it happens again...I'm going to have to have some tests...or go to the ER..." She sniffled and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Oh, sweetie, it's all right. Everything will be fine..." Darla whispered, leaning down to pull Annie into a motherly hug.

"I...can't...b-be a doctor..." Annie buried her face against Darla's top, crying. "Not...not if I'm weak..."

"But you're not weak..." It wasn't Darla who had said that, but Syrus. He had woken up during their conversation, and now wrapped his arms around Annie comfortingly. "I told you, Annie. You're one of the strongest people I know..."

Annie sniffled. "I keep doing what I did, Sy... and I can't go to medical school..."

"Sweetie, you'll never know what the future holds until you get there. I'm sure that once the doctors figure out what's wrong, they'll make it better. Don't destroy your dream before it even gets a chance to become a reality," Darla explained reassuringly.

Annie stayed hugging the older woman. "Thanks, Darla." And then she turned and hugged Sy. "Thanks, Sy...for staying by me..."

"No problem, sweetie."Darla replied.

Syrus smiled. "Of course I stayed by you, Annie. Not only did you stay by me, but I love you. I told you that I would face this with you..."he reminded her.

"Umm...what's for breakfast?" Annie asked.

And just then, Zane burst into the room. "Hey, guys! Atticus called! How does going to the park sound?"

Zane's sudden appearance surprised Syrus, and he fell backwards off of the bed. "Oh! Syrus, are you alright??"asked Darla worriedly.

"Sy!" Annie yelped, getting out of bed and kneeling next to her boyfriend.

Syrus got into a sitting position, rubbing the back of his head and wincing. "Ouch...I'm okay. What was that, Zane?"

"Atticus called and wanted us to go to the park around noon. Sound like fun?" Annie nodded.

"Yeah, all right! It'll be cool to spend time with everyone and not have to worry about school." Syrus stood, smiling at Annie happily.

Meanwhile, back at Casa Rhodes... "Who wants pancakes?" Scout asked.

"I do! Can we have blueberries with them, Mom?" asked Atticus eagerly.

Alexis sighed and sat at the table, stifling a yawn with her hand. 'So much has happened recently...I don't know how he can be so energetic this early in the morning,' she thought.

"YAY! PANCAKES!" Jaden shouted. "I'll eat a hundred of 'em!"

"How can you eat that much, Slacker?" Chazz asked incredulously.

Scout smiled. "I'll do my best to fill you up, kids..."

"Mom makes the best pancakes, Jaden! You're going to love 'em!!" exclaimed Atticus happily, sitting down.

"Yeah! This is gonna be great!" Jaden grinned. "Man, did my mom leave my stuff here?"

"She did, honey," Scout said. "And you can call me Jean or Scout, whichever you're comfortable with."

"Yeah, we should probably change after breakfast. We're still wearing our school blazers," Alexis realized.

"Hey, the Master of Love looks good in anything and everything!"Atticus replied, striking a pose from his seat.

"Oh lord..." Chazz groaned. 'I think I like having a brother like this, even if he acts like a dork...' he thought.

Jaden grinned. "Man, it'll be nice to be in a shirt and shorts!"

"I'll have to look through my closet for something. I hope my clothes haven't gotten dusty or anything..."Alexis sighed.

"I wonder if I've still got that Speedo..." Atticus wondered aloud.

Jaden and Chazz turned white. "I so don't need to see that," they said at the same time.

"Atticus Lee Rhodes..." Scout said with a warning in her voice.

Atticus sweat-dropped and grinned sheepishly. "I wasn't going to wear it or anything! I was just wondering if I still had it..." Alexis rolled her eyes, sighing lightly.

"You don't, honey. I tossed it after that incident before you left for the academy your first year..."

Atticus blushed a little. "Oh yeah, I remember that."

Alexis' eye gave an involuntary twitch and she turned to the other boys. "Don't...ask..."

Jaden knew that look. "I think I'll trust my instincts and not ask..."

"Good call. I think about ten innocent bystanders had to get weeks of therapy after that little incident," Alexis groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Therapy?!" Jaden and Chazz asked, eyes wide.

"Therapy...it involved a dog," Scout explained.

"Really, Scout?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, really, M...Scout?" Chazz hadn't started out to call her Scout and everyone knew it.

Alexis glanced at Chazz, but understood. All of this was still new to him. "Yes, therapy. And since we technically caused their 'mental trauma', we had to pay for some of it. That's one of the reasons Mom and Dad threw out that stupid Speedo. Thank goodness..." she explained, glaring at Atticus. He sweat-dropped.

"Oh, man...Atticus...What did you do, moon 'em?" Jaden asked, then blushed. "Sorry, Scout..."

"Hey! It wasn't my fault!! That dog was the cause of it..." Atticus shouted, trying to defend himself.

"But none of it would have happened if you hadn't bought that Speedo, Atty," reminded Alexis, frowning.

Chazz grinned. "Um..."

"Chazz, you can call me what you want to, sweetie..." Scout said, smiling.

"Okay...Mom, don't buy me a Speedo..." It was the first time Chazz had ever called any woman "Mom..." and it felt...good.

Alexis and Atticus both grinned, partly at what Chazz had said, and partly because he'd called Scout 'Mom'. "Oh, don't worry, Chazz. She's learned her lesson," Alexis snickered.

"Besides, lil' bro, I'd say you're more of a swim trunks kind of guy!" added Atticus.

"I am...big bro..." Chazz managed. "It's okay if I call you that, isn't it?" he asked. "I'm...kind of new at this..."

"Sure it's all right! Lexi's been callin' me that for years!!" he replied, grinning.

"We don't mind what you call us, Chazz. We're glad that you're our brother...or, at least, soon-to-be brother," Alexis added.

"I hope so..." Chazz said. "The Chazz...doesn't have to stand alone anymore..."

"You never did..." Jaden pointed out, as he wolfed down his fifth pancake.

Atticus was at the same speed as Jaden, grabbing a sixth pancake and slapping it onto his plate. Alexis gagged a little, having lost her appetite at the sight after only two pancakes. "I don't know how you guys can do that. The only other person I know who can eat like you two is Violet. If it wasn't for that fact, I'd say it was a 'guy thing.'"

Scout smiled. "Honey, there was a point I ate like that. I was about 12."

"Whoa..." the boys said, impressed.

"You ate like us, Scout?" Jaden asked.

"You bet, sweetie."

"Wow..." Chazz said.

"I could never eat like that. Just the thought makes me queasy," Alexis mumbled.

Atticus pushed away his plate after his eighth pancake, sighing contentedly. "Ah. I'm full!" he cheered happily.

Jaden finished after his ninth. "That was great, Scout!"

Alexis glanced at the clock. "Geez...it's nine o'clock? We should start getting ready!" She stood and everyone went upstairs to change.

Alexis got the first shower and ran in her room to change, then Chazz went into the bathroom. He turned on the hot water and started to clean himself. He sighed... 'How do I tell them? But I can...' And after Chazz was done, he went into the guest room to get his clothes on. And then Jaden did the same. Jaden yanked on a pair of jean shorts and a red t-shirt. By that 

time, Alexis and Atticus were dressed and waiting outside in the hallway. Alexis was wearing a blue cotton tank top, blue jeans capris, and brown flip-flops. Atticus was wearing one of his trademark red Hawaiian shirts, navy blue shorts, and brown sandals.

"Lexi, you look great!" Jaden said. Chazz was wearing denim shorts and a black long-sleeved t-shirt.

Alexis blushed. "Thanks, Jay. You look pretty cute, too."

Atticus was in his thinking pose. "Man, we still have a little more than two hours. What are we supposed to do until then?"he asked impatiently.

"We could go to the park early...I've never been there to just have fun..." Chazz said.

"That does seem like a good idea. It takes about fifteen to twenty minutes to walk there, and we can show you some of the places we used to hang out." Alexis explained, smiling. So, they all went back downstairs, said goodbye to Scout and walked out into the bright morning sunshine.

"Oh yeah, I love summer vacation!" cheered Atticus happily.

"WHOO-HOO!" Jaden cheered at the top of his lungs. "NO HOMEWORK!!"

"YEAH!! NO HOMEWORK, NO TEACHERS, AND NO RULES!!" Atticus continued, leaping into the air and pumping his fist excitedly.

"Alright, calm down you two. We don't need you accidentally going into the street..." warned Alexis sternly as they walked.

Then Chazz got an uncharacteristically huge grin on his face. "I'M A RHODES!! I'M CHARLES XAVIER RHODES AND I'M FREE!!"

Atticus couldn't help but snicker a little. "Your full name's Charles Xavier??" he asked, grinning.

Alexis flicked his ear in a scolding way. "I think it sounds nice. It's a strong name for a strong guy," she stated seriously.

"Thanks, sis. Yeah...my first mom had a thing for the X-Men..."

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "First mom? What do you mean, bro?" she asked curiously. By now they were about halfway to the park.

"Well, she was the mom who had me, and now I have another one..." Chazz said, trailing off. "Should I…explain things?"

Alexis frowned. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, bro. Though you really should let it out and get it off your chest..." Atticus nodded, surprising his sister who'd thought he wasn't actually paying attention.

Jaden nodded, too. "Chazz, it's cool...if you want to talk..."

Chazz nodded, realizing they were right. "All right...My first mom died a month after I was born...she died because of me...And then...Dad followed..." He sighed. "I tried not to think about it..."

"Bro, before you say anything else, I have to tell you something. Don't blame yourself for anyone's death. I don't care what anyone says, you're not responsible. Understand?" Alexis had a look that stated she wouldn't give up until he believed her.

"You don't understand, Alexis...Mom found out she had cancer when she was pregnant with me..."

"And how is that your fault? It's not like you made her have it. Some things just happen, bro, and we can't control how it works..."

Chazz sighed again. "She didn't take treatment so I'd live. By the time I was born...the cancer had advanced to the point that they couldn't do anything..."

Alexis smiled softly. "Chazz, it's obvious that your mother loved you more than anything. Why else would she give you her life? You should appreciate what she did, not blame yourself for it."

"But then...Dad got depressed...and on my first birthday, he..." Chazz closed his eyes in obvious pain.

Jaden moved close and grabbed his hand. "Chazz..."

"Chazz, that wasn't your fault either. It was his decision, not yours. It couldn't be helped..." Alexis explained, biting her bottom lip. They'd reached he park entrance, but none have them had actually noticed yet.

"That was my first memory..."

"Well, why don't we make some new ones?" It was the first time Atticus had spoken in a while, and he pointed into the park.

Chazz nodded, with a little smile. "I think Mom and Dad'll be glad about that! C'mon, guys!" he yelled, running into the park.

"ALL RIGHT!" Jaden cheered, running after him. "Hey, this is where I met Yugi and got Winged Kuriboh!"

"Wow, really?" Alexis asked, glancing around.

Atticus was already climbing a tree, swinging on one of the branches. "I used to love climbing here all day! I'd hide stuff up in the trees and no one would find them!!" he called down.

"How do you do that?" Chazz called looking up at Atticus, then Jaden and then Alexis.

"Mom and Dad always did say he was more monkey than human. But it's not very hard to climb these trees, because they have a lot of low branches. Here, watch me..." explained Alexis. She reached up and grabbed a branch, then stepped on another to reach a higher one.

"C'mon, Chazz! Try it!" Jaden said, climbing down.

"Okay..." Chazz took hold of a branch and started climbing. "Whoa...I'm doing it!"

"Pay attention to the branches!" Jaden cautioned.

"Yeah, test them out first or you might step on a weak one," Alexis added.

Atticus was now hanging upside down from his branch by his knees. "I remember when that happened to me! Remember, Lexi? I got a wedgie on a branch and the firemen had to come and get me down! I got to ride in their fire truck and everything!!" he called down.

Jaden and Chazz both started laughing. Chazz was a good climber and only slipped once before he got to a secure branch to sit down on. "This is fun...I never got to do stuff like this before...'Princetons don't play,'" he quoted.

"Well," Jaden said, "We'll just have to make up for lost time...Chazz, we'll have to go through the water park here! It's great! And then we'll have to play on the jungle gym and the swings and maybe try a little soccer..."

"I know how to do that, but..." Chazz sighed, "I've never just played for fun..."

"Ever tried football?" Jaden asked. "We can just pass it..."

"Um...okay..."

"All right, Jaden. We have the whole summer to do the stuff we need to. Today, let's just have some fun and relax here in the park. Maybe tomorrow we can try the water park," Alexis explained, sweat-dropping. She liked seeing Chazz like this, actually looking happy for once. But she knew if she didn't restrain Jaden, they'd be trying to do everything in this one day and end up in traction.

"Hey! Lexi!! What time is it??" called Atticus, dropping to the ground. Alexis glanced at her watch. "It's a little after ten, Atty. What do you guys want to do now?"

"JUNGLE GYM!" Jaden yelled, climbing down the tree with lightning speed and then bouncing around like a kindergartner.

"YEAH!! JUNGLE GYM!!" Atticus shouted, following Jaden.

Alexis sighed. "You wanna go check out the jungle gym, Chazz?" she called up.

"Um...Alexis...HOW DO I GET DOWN?" Chazz yelped.

_And on that note, we end the chapter! We hope you enjoyed it and we hope you look forward to the next! So read, review and stay tuned!_


	14. To the Park!

Chapter XIV: To the Park!

_Welcome back, folks to "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" This is a chapter of fun and humor. And since you all reviewed so quickly, we updated more quickly! So thank you to all our reviewers! So now, we see what happens as the group gets to the park! Read to find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They also do NOT own Sailor Moon. They would also like to thank the creators of Sailor Moon Yu-Gi-Oh cards on Deviant Art. They just own their OCs and ideas. **_

Meanwhile, back at the Truesdales, Annie had composed herself and gotten out of bed. "So...I'm going back to my room now, okay?" asked Syrus. He was standing by the door, Darla and Zane having gone downstairs to get breakfast.

Annie nodded. "Okay. I'll get myself cleaned up, Sy...unless it's okay for me to stay in my pj's until after breakfast?"

"Oh, that's fine. We just like getting dressed before breakfast is all. I'll see you down there..." Syrus left Annie's room, crossed the hallway, and went into his own.

And so Annie decided to just get herself cleaned up and dressed. 'I'll just do what they do...' She pulled out a pair of lavender shorts and a polo top as well as a fresh bra and underwear. She laid them on the bed and headed into the bathroom. She took a quick shower and got her hair washed, and then got out. She toweled off and went back in her room and got dressed.

Zane, meanwhile, was downstairs with his mom, already showered and dressed. "Mom, are they okay?" he wondered.

Syrus had just taken a shower yesterday, and wasn't really dirty. So, he let Annie have the shower as he got dressed. In a few minutes he left his room fully clothed in blue cargo pants, a white T-shirt, and white sneakers. She came out of her red guest room a few minutes later in her outfit, also wearing cute sneakers and white socks. "Hey, Syrus...you look really cute!"

Syrus blushed. "Y-You look cute, too, Annie." They went downstairs, where Darla had made waffles for breakfast.

"Good morning you two! My, do you two look just like a couple. Reminds me of when your father and I went to the park together to watch the sunset..." Darla began rambling a little.

"Aww..." Zane grinned.

"Oh, yummy! Waffles!" Annie said happily. She saw a dish of strawberries and a can of whipped cream on the table. "Oh, I love strawberries and whipped cream! Thanks, Darla!" And then Darla's comment registered. "We...we do?"

Syrus' blush returned. "Yes, you two look lovely together. 'Like two peas in a pod', as my grandma used to say," Darla added, smiling. Syrus sat down beside Annie, trying to force down his blush by eating.

"Mom...you're making them blush..." Zane said. "Oh, Dad's already left for work. He left about an hour ago."

"Oh, I would've liked to see him," Annie said, helping herself to the whipped cream and strawberries. "Man, Daddy makes this for me on Saturday mornings sometimes..."

"Dad always has to get to work early. But we'll see him later this afternoon," explained Syrus.

"Speaking of your father, Annie, what exactly does he do?" Darla asked curiously.

"Daddy is the president of a computer company..." Annie said. "His was one of the few companies that didn't go down when the dot-com bust happened in the late 1990s..." Annie blushed. "Some people think his company could rival Microsoft someday..."

"How interesting. It must be rather neat to work with computers all day," Darla replied, sipping her coffee.

"Yeah. I bet you had a computer before a lot of people, huh?" asked Syrus.

"Well, yeah, we did, Sy...And I wish Daddy didn't work so much sometimes," Annie admitted.

Zane nodded, understanding. "I got frustrated when I was little and Mom and Dad had to work a lot..."

Annie sighed. "I know Dad has to work, but I wish he was around more..."

Zane asked, "So what does your mom do?"

Annie smiled and answered, "She's a stay-at-home mom..."

"Oh, I see. It must be nice to be able to see her whenever," Darla replied, picking up her plate and coffee mug. Syrus did the same with his dirty dishes.

"Uh, Annie, do you want me to get those for you?"

"Um...I can get it...but...if you really want to you can..." Annie answered, shyly.

Syrus nodded and picked up her plate as well, walking with his mom to put everything in the sink. "You kids still have quite some time before you're supposed to meet with the others. Have anything in mind that you plan to do until then?"Darla asked.

"We'll do our chores, Mom, and then we may go to the park early," Zane explained.

"Well, all right. I have an appointment scheduled at eleven, so if you're done by then I can give you a ride on my way to work," she explained.

Syrus turned to Annie. "Uh, you can do something else while we do our chores, Annie." he offered shyly.

"You sure?" she asked. "Because I could help you with laundry and stuff..."

Darla suddenly smiled. "I know what you can do, sweetie. Since you want to help so much, why don't you help me out in the garden?" she offered.

"Um, okay..." Annie said. "Thanks, Darla..."

Zane beckoned to his brother and the boys headed up and brushed their teeth. "You okay, bro?" Zane asked. They were standing at the double sink in their shared bathroom, and Zane had noticed a little worry in his brother's features.

"Zane...last night, Annie told me what was wrong. And...I'm really worried about her." Syrus sighed and told Zane what Annie had told him and Darla, staring solemnly at the sink.

"So...they have no idea what's wrong..." Zane asked. "Do you think I should still duel her?"

"I don't know, Zane. I don't think she'll change her mind...but I just hope everything will turn out all right and she won't get hurt."

Meanwhile, Darla led Annie through a white gate and into a fenced-in area. Around the interior of the fence were various spring and summer flowers, while in the center was a vegetable patch. However, the most eye-catching spot in the garden was a single corner where a strange-looking tree stood. Its small, green leaves were obscured by hundreds of bright pink blossoms.

"Oh, wow!" Annie squealed. "This garden's amazing! And...what's this tree? I've never seen it before...I don't think, anyway..."

Darla smiled. "Well, this is a special tree, dear. You see, it was here when we bought the house, and hasn't seemed to age at all. At first, we thought it was a cherry tree because of the blossoms, but no cherries ever grew. And the trunk is stark white, like an aster. But asters don't have pink blossoms that last through spring, summer, and fall. We really don't know what it is, but it sure is beautiful."

"It's amazing!" Annie said. "Maybe it was a mutation..." She reached out and touched the trunk. "I'll bet this tree could tell great stories if it could talk..." She walked over to the vegetable garden, noticing all of the different sprouts. "What do you grow here? Can you grow tomatoes?"

"Right now I'm growing some tomatoes, carrots, and watermelons. Over there by those poles I'm growing grapes, and this year I'm also trying to grow summer strawberries," Darla explained. She walked over by the gate, picking up two watering cans.

"Oh, yum! I love watermelon! And I love carrots, tomatoes, grapes and strawberries..." Annie said as she followed Darla. "Mom gardens a little, but our backyard's too close to Lake Washington to grow too much..."

"Well, here on the lower West coast there's plenty of good weather, so it's good for gardening." Darla walked over to a small spout near the watering cans, filling both and handing one to Annie. "You can water the flowers, and I'll handle that vegetable patch."

"Okay," Annie said happily, eager to do what she could. "Does Syrus help you out here sometimes?"

"Oh yes, he loves coming out to the garden. I remember when he and Zane would play around in the vegetable patch, sometimes eating the strawberries if they were ripe. Then, they'd lay down and take a nap under the tree," explained Darla, yanking out a weed.

"Aww...he's so cute when he falls asleep," Annie said as she watered. "There's this tree at Duel Academy...everybody thinks of it as Jaden's tree...and Sy fell asleep out there one day with his textbook. I didn't want to wake him, so I just sat down...it's really warm there..."

"Yes, I always thought he looked like a little angel while he slept." Darla finished watering and let out a breath, wiping a few beads of sweat from her forehead. "Would you like to help me pick out some flowers to put in the kitchen?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course! It's only warm like this for a little bit in Seattle..."

Annie took a big sniff of the flowers as they cut. "Oh, these are wonderful..."

"It'll be sad to see you go, sweetie. But I'm sure that your parents would like to see you again." Darla reached down and picked some irises and added them to the bouquet. "Here, sweetie. Why don't you give these to your friend, Violet? They're called mountain laurels. They pop up everywhere, and kind of remind me of her," offered Darla.

"Really?" Annie asked. "Thanks, Darla!" She was really happy now. "I'd be glad to come back here, and I really hope Sy loves Seattle. He is coming at the warmest time of the year..." And then she got a nervous look on her face. "I'm dueling Zane today..."

"Oh, that's right. You don't have to if you don't want to, sweetie. No one will make you if you change your mind." Darla looked down kindly at her maybe-future-daughter-in-law.

"I want to duel him...I just don't want Sy to worry too much...I wonder what Zane will think of my Moon Kingdom deck..." Annie said softly.

Darla blinked. "Moon Kingdom? That sounds interesting." They had left the garden and started making their way back to the house.

"It's based on the Sailor Moon anime and manga...Apparently, Maximilian Pegasus went to Japan to talk to the creator of Sailor Moon to get her to let him use her characters for the Duel Monsters game. And so a whole line of cards based on Sailor Moon was created. And I made it my deck. All of my monsters are of the Moon Kingdom..." Annie finished. "Do you want me to tell you about my deck, Darla?" she asked.

By now they were in the kitchen, and Darla had gotten a vase from the cupboard. "Of course! It sounds so unique..."

Annie pulled out her deck from her deck holster on her belt, and started laying down the cards. "This one's my favorite...Angelic Guardian of the Moon, Usagi...she's the ultimate form of Sailor Moon..." On the card was the picture of a blonde girl with hair in pigtails and with buns at the top of her head. Usagi was dressed in what looked like a combination of a school uniform sailor suit, a cheerleading costume and an angel's costume. "She has some cool attacks, but she also has the ability to turn dark-attribute monsters to light-attribute monsters. She's the guardian of love and justice."

"Oh my, she is rather beautiful." Darla filled the vase with water and put the flowers inside, setting them on the table before sitting down by Annie.

Then Annie pulled another card. "I like this one, too. This is Ami, Guardian of Mercury. She's the smartest of the Sailor Scouts or Sailor Senshi. She controls water. In the series, Ami wants to be a pediatrician just like her mom and she's the smartest girl in the class!" Ami was dressed in the combination sailor suit/cheerleader costume, but her outfit was predominantly blue. She also had short raven hair and blue eyes.

"Oh, I think I like her." Darla replied, chuckling a little.

Suddenly, footsteps could be heard on the stairs and the two boys appeared in the kitchen. "Hi, Mom; hi, Annie. Did you guys pick these?" asked Syrus, pointing at the flowers.

"Yeah, Sy. Your garden's amazing," Annie said, gathering up her deck. "Are you ready to duel me at the park, Zane? As Jaden would say, I'm ready to get my game on!"

"You sure, Annie? I've been in the Pro League..."

"Doesn't matter... Seto Kaiba was a pro when Yugi trounced him..."

"Good point, Annie. And would you look at the time, it's a quarter 'till eleven! Amazing how time flies. Would you three like a ride to the park?" Darla asked. All three kids nodded. Annie and Zane headed upstairs to grab their duel disks and then climbed in the car with Darla and Syrus.

It only took five minutes to reach the park by car, and Darla waved as everyone climbed out. "You kids have fun today! Good luck with the duel, you two!!"

She then had leave quickly, not wanting to be late for her appointment. "You think the others are here yet?" asked Syrus.

"Maybe..." Annie said, and then heard what sounded like Chazz. "Is that CHAZZ?!"

Syrus' eyes widened. "I didn't think Chazz would want to come!" They followed the sound to a small playground, where everyone was goofing around, especially Jaden and Atticus.

"THE CHAZZ WANTS OFF!" the raven-haired boy was screaming from the tire swing.

The swing had to be spinning at a G-force rate, the raven-haired teenager barely visible. "Atticus! I said not too hard!! It's his first time!" Alexis shouted, her jaw dropping.

"Oh, guys!" Bastion Misawa greeted. "Hello, Annie, how are you feeling?"

"Much better, Bastion, thanks...First time on a tire swing?!" she asked in shock.

"Yup! And I call next turn!!" yelled Violet. She was hanging upside down from the top of the swings by her knees, grinning maniacally.

"I'm not sure who to worry about more. Chazz or Violet..." muttered Syrus, sweat-dropping.

Jaden grinned. "Hey, guys! What happened last night? You fell asleep in the same bed?"

"Jaden, we talked about this..." Bastion groaned. "We had the same thing happen thanks to the storm last night...what about you, Annie and Syrus?"

"I didn't want to be alone..." Annie admitted as she and Syrus blushed a little bit.

"It's all right. I mean, none of us actually did anything. But...maybe someone should stop the tire swing?" Alexis offered, glancing at Chazz.

"I'll do it!" yelled Atticus. He reached out and grabbed one of the tire swing's chains, but ended up getting pulled into the spinning torrent himself.

Finally, gravity took over and the swing slowed down. Atticus staggered like a drunken sailor, and Chazz managed to get off the swing and away. He walked straight to Atticus and grabbed onto him. "Bro..."

"Oh, man. Did anyone catch the license number of that train??" groaned Atticus. Finally, he could no longer stand and fell on his butt in the grass, dragging Chazz down with him.

"Hey...did Chazzy just call Atty 'bro'?" asked Violet, now sitting upright on top of the swing's bar.

"The Chazz does not like tire swings..." Chazz groaned as he fell, head spinning.

"What the..." Annie said, blue eyes wide. "Guys, what's going on?"

Alexis sweat-dropped, rubbing the back of her neck gingerly. "Well, you see, it's like this..." And so Alexis explained to everyone about last night and early that morning, earning a few stares.

"So...Chazz is your brother now?" asked Syrus, eyes wide. Alexis nodded.

"All right!" Annie cheered. "Chazz...wow! And Jaden, your dad's going to help?"

"Yeah," Jaden said. Chazz and Atticus were up by now, both looking and acting better.

"Man, what a rush..." Chazz said. "So...what do you guys think about it?"

"I think it's cool. Now we can hang out more," replied Syrus, smiling.

Violet thought for a moment, then grinned. "I think it's awesome! I couldn't imagine not having a real family...but now you have one!! Oh, but I do have one tiny question..." she called from her spot above the others.

"Um...yeah?" Chazz called back.

"Can someone get me down?! I'm stuck!" she yelled, pouting. Alexis and Syrus face-faulted.

"How did you get up there, anyway?" called Syrus, sweat-dropping.

"Uh...I don't know," replied Violet, shrugging. Again, some of the teens below her face-faulted.

"Okay, guys, someone's going to have to catch her...Violet, you've got to jump," Annie said.

"I'll catch her..." Bastion said.

Violet's eyes widened. "What? Jump?? Are you crazy?! I don't want to!" She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Alexis groaned. "There's no other way to get you down, Violet! It's not that high..."

"Violet, Bastion's going to catch you!" Annie called up. "He won't let you get hurt!"

"She's right, darling! I'll catch you!" Bastion called up.

Violet looked from Annie to Bastion, then grinned. "All right! Here I come!! Geronimo!" she yelled. Violet dropped down from the bar, purple ponytail flapping behind her.

"Uh-oh, Bastion! You're too far to the left!!" Syrus shouted.

Bastion moved, and Violet landed on top of him, flattening the British boy to the ground. "Oh...did anyone get the license number of that lorry?" he asked, dazed.

Violet blinked a few times, then stood and glanced down at Bastion. "Hey, Bastion baby, what are you doing on the ground? I thought you said that you wanted to stay clean..." she asked, helping him up.

Syrus scratched his head and turned to Annie. "Annie, what's a lorry?" he whispered.

"Semi-truck, Sy," Annie explained.

"Violet, darling, a little dirt is fine when I catch you..." Bastion answered.

"Thanks, Bastion," Annie said.

"So, are you up for our duel, Annie? We don't have to and I don't want to push you..." Zane said.

"A DUEL?" Jaden asked, excited.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Jaden, calm down..."

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, Zane and Annie are going to duel."

Violet grinned and poked Jaden. "Jaden, if you want, we can duel later. I know watching this duel's going to get me pumped!" She jumped into the air excitedly, fire in her eyes.

"Sure!" Jaden said. "This is sweet! I've never seen Annie or you duel before, I don't think...Know anything about her deck?"

"I do," Bastion said. "It's quite a cute deck, actually..."

Violet growled, elbowing Bastion in the ribs. Alexis sweat-dropped and decided to move on. "Uh, so, what's it like, Bastion?"

"It's based on Sailor Moon...She collected all of the monsters based on the anime and manga...Each monster has a special attribute for their fighting..."

Meanwhile, Annie shuffled her deck as Zane shuffled his. "I think you're in for a treat, Zane," the dark-haired, blue-eyed girl said.

"Sailor Moon? Oh! I remember watching that when I was younger! The kitties were so cute!!" Violet grinned.

"So then it's the Sailor Scouts versus the Cyber Dragons? Sounds interesting," added Alexis.

And so the duel began. "Get your game on, Zane!" Annie said.

"Isn't that Jaden's line?" the older boy asked.

"Beat him, Annie! Show him who's boss!!" cheered Violet, ignoring the question.

_Oh, how torturous is that? Annie is about to duel Zane with her Moon Kingdom deck. How will this clash of dragons and Sailor Scouts turn out? Well, you'll just have to see by tuning in for the next chapter! So read, review and stay tuned until next time! Thank you!_


	15. Cyber Legacy Versus Moon Kingdom!

Chapter XV: Cyber Legacy Versus Moon Kingdom!

_Ladies and gentlemen, it's finally here… Zane Truesdale is facing off against his little brother's girlfriend, Annie Hanson and her Moon Kingdom deck, so named because it is made up from the characters of Sailor Moon. We, your happy authoresses, hope you enjoy the show. We hope this isn't too Mary Sue for you. A note: the only place Annie's deck exists is on the wonderful website, Deviant Art, where people have combined the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG with the Guardian of Love and Justice! And a huge thanks from one authoress to another. Peach doesn't play the card game, but 15animefreak15 does, so Peach learned a great deal about dueling from 15animefreak15!_

_And so, last time, we saw a lot of the Truesdales and then of our group of kids at the park. And now, Annie is about to duel Zane! How will that end? Just stick around and we'll show you!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 own nothing but their OCs and their ideas. A big thank you to the artists on Deviant Art for their Sailor Moon Yu-Gi-Oh cards!**_

_**Warning: Situation at the end. You'll see.**_

"Ladies first," Zane said politely.

"Okay... I summon Rei, the Guardian of Mars in attack mode! And I place one card face down," Annie said, ending her turn. Rei was dressed in the sailor suit outfit, but with a red skirt, red shoes and a blue bow on the front of her outfit. "This monster has the power of fire behind her. Do your worst, Zane..." Annie grinned.

And then Zane summoned his Cyber Dragon. "Well, I think Rei is toast..." he said, moving his monster to attack mode.

"That's what you think!" Annie countered, laughing.

"Toast? Man, why do you people constantly have to mention food?!" yelled Violet, pouting.

"I reveal my facedown card, Mars Fire Ignite, a magic card, which barbecues your Cyber Dragon and takes 500 life points!"

Violet grumbled something about everyone plotting to make her hungry under her breath. "Cool trap card!" called Atticus, grinning.

Zane groaned. "Nice combo, Annie. You done?"

"Nope. Now I summon Ami, Guardian of Mercury, and I lay another two cards facedown and end my turn!"

"You didn't attack me directly..." Zane said in surprise.

"Right...I won't need to..."

"What? I'm confused..." stated Violet, frowning.

"My deck's just full of surprises," Annie said. "Your move, Zane..."

Zane grinned. "I summon another Cyber Dragon...and I don't think you can toast me again..." Annie only smiled. "Cyber Dragon, attack Annie's Guardian of Mercury!" the teen boy yelled.

"You triggered another spell card. I take 1000 points to use it, but Mercury Bubbles Blast prevents the Cyber Dragon from attacking and it ends your turn!"

"BUBBLES!!" squealed Violet.

"What the..?" Zane yelped. A cascade of bubbles surrounded the Cyber Dragon, freezing it.

"My move," Annie said. "I activate my other facedown, Mars Fire Surround, which takes down your other Cyber Dragon and you lose 1000 life points! And now... I sacrifice Rei and Ami to summon Usagi, the Angelic Guardian of the Moon!" And Rei and Ami disappeared, and the pretty blonde scout was summoned. "And I equip her with the magic card, 'Moon Astral Cleansing Activation!' I have to give up all but one of my life points, but it takes you down to zero life points!"

Everyone's jaws dropped. "WHAT?!"

"Usagi, show him what the Guardian of Love and Justice can do!" Annie commanded. In Usagi's gloved hand appeared a pink and white scepter. The fairy monster spun it around like a baton and then a pink light flowed from it, taking Zane's points to zero.

Violet blinked. "It's over? Already?? ...COOLIO!! GO ANNIE!! THAT'S MAH BUD!!" she shouted. She then ran over and practically tackled her best friend to the ground with a hug. Syrus was shocked into silence at his brother's swift defeat.

Alexis' eyes were as big as dinner plates. "Whoa...she beat Zane, in only a few moves!" she gasped out. Atticus was grinning. "Looks like Annie beat you Zane!" he called.

Annie came up to Zane. "That was fun, Zane...Um..."

"Nice job, Annie," Zane said, noticing she looked a bit nervous and placing a friendly hand on her shoulder. "You moved fast."

"I was just lucky...Usagi could've been at the bottom of my deck. I was hoping I'd draw her quickly. I knew by watching you I had to take you down quickly. I doubt I could do it again like that. But...oh, Syrus...you aren't mad, are you?"

Syrus blinked, then quickly shook his head. "Me? Mad?? No way! My girlfriend beat Zane!" he yelled, running over to hug her. "So maybe that means I can defeat him, too..." he added in a quiet whisper to her.

"Maybe you can, little brother," Zane said, smiling. "Annie, you'll have to tell me about this deck of yours. The monsters look...kind of cute."

"I'd love to know a bit more about it, as well," Bastion added. "I'd love to face it in battle." Annie blushed.

Jaden was clearly impressed. "That was a sweet combo move, Annie! You've got to show me..."

Violet pouted and stepped in front of Jaden. "Hey! Hold your horses, Jaden!! You said that you'd duel me..."she reminded.

Alexis blinked. "Oh yeah, that's right. Bastion, do you know what kind of deck she has?" she asked curiously.

Meanwhile, Syrus turned to Annie. "I think they really liked your deck, Annie!"

"Let's have a break between duels, Violet," Annie suggested. "Yeah, Sy...I guess everybody did..." she said, blushing.

"Annie's told me some things...However...I don't know everything and she knows I would try to crack the code of her deck..." Bastion sighed as he said this. "Annie, you didn't want me to know, did you?" Annie shook her head.

"Fine, fine. I'll wait," Violet sighed, then smirked at Bastion's words. "If you guys want to see my deck, you'll just have to wait. I'll give you a hint though, it's 'out of this world'..." she explained, giggling.

Chazz regarded Annie for a minute. "So, who's your duel spirit?"

Just then, the monster who'd helped Annie win appeared to the side of her. "Usagi..."

Syrus, Alexis, and Atticus blinked. "More duel spirits?" Alexis asked, frowning. They couldn't see duel spirits.

However, Violet sent a wave at Usagi. "Hi ya, Usagi! Been a while since I've seen you!!"

Usagi smiled at Violet. "Hi, Violet! I'd love to play with Watapon and your crew!"

"Huh?" Jaden asked. "You have Watapon?! Yugi has that card!"

"He's the boy who has the Neo-Spacians," Usagi said to Annie, who nodded.

"Yeah, and they're really nice."

"I think they're neat, though a few of the other scouts aren't sure..." Usagi commented. "But we're friends with Violet's deck..."

"You're not sure about the Neo-Spacians, Usagi?" Jaden asked.

"I am, but a few of the scouts aren't...it's a couple of the Outer Scouts... Hotaru, Guardian of Saturn seems to like them, but Amara, the Guardian of Uranus isn't sure and neither is Michelle, Guardian of Neptune..."

"Watapon's the star of my deck! He's also my duel spirit," replied Violet. A pink puffball appeared on her head, and she giggled a little.

"Uh..."muttered Syrus, confused.

"You guys mind telling us what's going on?" asked Alexis.

"I keep forgetting you guys can't see duel spirits yet," Jaden said, blushing. "Our duel spirits seem to like each other, Lex..."

Watapon bounced over to Usagi, giggling. Usagi giggled, too. "Hi, Watapon!" she said, hugging the creature.

"I wish you guys could see this...Sy, I'm surprised you can't see duel spirits yet," Annie said. "I mean...you've seen Dark Magician Girl..."

Syrus blushed. "W-Well yeah, but...she was actually real. Everyone could see her, she even dueled Jaden."

"But...you saw her later when no one but you could... and maybe Jaden...I heard you telling him..." she said, flushing nervously.

Syrus' blush intensified. "W-Well, uh, I wasn't really sure. I-I mean, I might have seen her, or..." Violet suddenly picked up Watapon and walked over to Syrus. "Sy, am I holding anything?" she asked.

Syrus blinked. "W-Well, it's hard to tell. I mean, I think I might see something pink and fuzzy...but my eyes are probably playing tricks on me."

"No, they're not..." Annie said happily. "You can see him! Sy, look next to me...What do you see?" She mentally crossed her fingers, hoping Sy could see Usagi.

Syrus turned and squinted a little, thinking he could barely see the outline of something. "Oh my geez! Idea!!" exclaimed Violet, snatching Syrus's glasses.

"Hey! Violet, I can't see-wait...I can see the duel spirits now. All of them, even Usagi..." His eyes widened.

"I KNEW IT!" Annie squealed. "I knew you could see them!"

"Hello, Syrus," Usagi greeted.

"Hey, guys, what do we do if we're not going to duel?" Jaden asked.

"Um...could we just pass a soccer ball for a bit?" Annie wondered.

"Okay! Uh...but does anyone have a ball?" asked Violet.

She gave Syrus his glasses back and he put them on. "I guess my glasses kept blocking my vision..."he muttered.

"Nah..." Annie said. "You just convinced yourself you couldn't...And...I didn't think about a ball..."

"Not to worry, Annie, Violet, I brought one..." Bastion said, producing a ball from a bag he'd brought.

"YAY!" Annie said happily.

"YAY!!" repeated Violet excitedly. She snatched the ball from Bastion and kicked it, sending it so far up that it disappeared amongst the clouds. Syrus' jaw dropped. "Whoopsy...heh, uh...we should probably look out for when it comes back," warned Violet, sweat-dropping.

"Wow..." Annie said, impressed. Just then, the ball came back down.

"I've got it!" Bastion, Jaden and Chazz yelled as they collided.

Alexis sighed and caught the ball, shaking her head. "Boys..." she muttered.

Violet snickered, then walked over to kneel down beside them. "You three okay? That was some collision! You went BANG!!" She threw her arms into the air and made and explosion sound to emphasize her point.

"Violet...darling...ouch..." Bastion groaned. Jaden and Chazz got shakily to their feet.

"That was sweet...So what now?" Jaden asked.

"Is this competitive?" Chazz asked.

"No...I don't think it should be..." Annie answered. "Let's just have a little fun..."

"Right! Come on, Alexis, kick the ball!!" called Violet.

Alexis sighed, then grinned and dropped the ball. "All right, all right. Here it comes, Annie!" she called, kicking the ball.

Annie caught it. "Here, Sy!" she called, passing it. She remembered playing with her brother Bobby back in Seattle.

"Oh, okay!" The ball passed him, but he quickly ran over and kicked it. "It's all yours, Zane!" he called.

Zane grinned. "Catch, Atticus!" He kicked it over his best friend's head.

"Now that's just plain rude!" joked Atticus. He ran backwards, and managed to head butt the ball. "Beat that, Jaden!"

Jaden caught it and started bouncing the ball on his head. "Whoo-hoo! I'm David Becker!"

"That's Beckham, Jaden...BECKHAM!" Zane said.

"Pass it to me next!" Bastion called, and Jaden did. Bastion bounced the ball from knee to knee and then passed it to Chazz.

"Hey, let's run with it..." Chazz said, running with the ball, and the kids took off.

"Pass it here! Pass it here!!" called Violet, waving her arms. However, her old nemesis the rock had followed her to Domino City, and she tripped. "Not again! Stupid rock--oof!!" She did a nosedive into the grass, cutting off her yell and muffling her muttered curses.

Chazz yelled, "C'mon, Violet, don't let the rock stop you! Coming to you, big bro!" he shouted to Atticus, feeling exhilarated.

Violet pushed herself off the ground, a dandelion hanging from her mouth. "I'll show you!" She leapt to her feet and jumped in front of Atticus, head-butting the ball with the force of a spiked volleyball.

Annie yelled, "Pass it to me next! I want to pass to Sy!"

Luckily, the ball had been struck towards Annie, landing with a 'plop' at her feet. "Oh yeah, I rock! Woot!!" yelled Violet, rubbing some dirt off her face. She blushed a little, remembering that time after the movie when she and Bastion had gotten into a dirt fight.

Annie caught the ball with her right foot. "Here it comes, Sy!" she yelled. Syrus was a little more confident this time, and went straight for the ball. And how did this new burst of confidence reward him? He got hit square in the face with the soccer ball. Ouch. "Sorry!" Annie yelled, and Sy passed the ball back to her, hitting her in the face accidentally. "Ouch!" she groaned, sending the ball over to Violet.

Violet had been snickering lightly at the coincidence of the couple both getting hit in the face. So, she wasn't paying attention, and was also hit in the face with said ball. "Ouch! This ball's cursed!!" she yelled. She angrily kicked it, sending it bouncing off a tree and straight back into her face. The second time sent her sprawling onto her back. "Why me...?"

Zane couldn't help it. He started laughing. "This is exactly why I think you're going to be great in the Pro Leagues! Violet, you're great!" He helped her up.

Violet shook her head, face a muddled red and brown from the ball and dirt. "I don't understand. Why do you only laugh around me? What makes me so different??" she asked, still confused.

Bastion came up and started helping brush the dirt off of her. "Are you all right, darling?"

Zane, now composing himself, answered, "You're quirky."

"I'm just dandy, Bastion baby! ...Oh!! I rhymed; yay!" she cheered, grinning. However, her mind sort of went blank at Zane's answer. "Uh...what does 'quirky' mean?"

"Quirky means you're unusual in a good way..." Zane explained.

"Oh...all righty then! That's a new one!!" Violet grinned. "So then, anyone still willing to play with the cursed ball of doom?"

Annie grinned. "Let's do it." She took off running with the ball. "C'mon, guys! Bet you can't get me!"

"Oh, you think so, huh?!" yelled Violet. Syrus grinned and ran with Violet after Annie, Alexis and Atticus following suit.

Annie kicked the ball hard to Jaden. "Catch that, future King of Games, if you can!"

Jaden caught it with his foot. "Chazz, think fast!"

"Oh, the opposite of you?!" Chazz yelled back, catching the ball. "Hey, Annie! This is great! I'm passing it to...Annie?!" Chazz trailed off as he turned back. Annie was on the ground and she wasn't moving.

_Sorry, guys, it's a cliffhanger. What just happened to Annie? Tune in next time! Read, review, and thank you!_


	16. Fear

Chapter XVI: Fear

_Hello again everyone, and welcome back to "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" We weren't sure how you would react to our cliffhanger, and we got right on the update. So since you got so many reviews in such a short time, here is the update in one day. 15animefreak15 thanks you for making this the first fiction of hers to pass 25 reviews, much less over 100! And Peach Wookiee thanks you for showing so much concern for Annie Hanson. We're glad you love our OCs and they're glad you love them, too!_

_And so, last time, Annie beat Zane in a duel and she felt it was a lucky break. The kids played soccer together and Annie collapsed without any warning. So what's happened? Just stick around, and we'll show you!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They would also like to thank the good people at WebMD and e-medicine-net for medical consultation.**_

_Author's note: Syncope is a medical term for fainting._

Violet did a 360 and ran to her friend, dropping to the ground beside her. "Annie! Annie, are you okay?! Annie!" she yelled, rolling her over onto her back.

Syrus was beside Annie only seconds after Violet, eyes wide with worry. "Annie? Annie! Wake up!!" he begged.

But this time it wasn't a simple faint. Annie's pulse was crazy, as Zane soon discovered. "Her pulse is really fast, and we can't wake her. We need help now..." he said very seriously.

Jaden was ready to run for help when a young woman came running across the grass. "Could you guys use some help?" she called.

"Yeah," Jaden said. "Our friend just collapsed. We don't know what's wrong!"

"It's all right, I'm a doctor!" She had white-blonde hair and big blue eyes and was dressed in a sky-blue sundress.

Violet was shaking a little, having never seen her friend in such a state. 'W-What if she-?! She can't! I don't think I could...please don't die, Annie!!' she thought, a lump in her throat. Meanwhile, Syrus was clutching Annie's hand, praying that nothing bad would happen. He was in such shock that he wasn't shaking like Violet, just sitting there, holding her hand, and praying.

"Okay, let me check her. What's her name?" Kisara asked, moving to check Annie's pulse.

"Annie..." Zane offered. "She faints a lot, and the doctors aren't sure why, Miss..."

"Call me Kisara, okay? Annie, can you hear me?" But Annie wasn't coming around. Kisara turned to see a tall youngish man in jeans and a black t-shirt striding across the grass with who must be their children in tow.

"Seto, call 911. We have a problem," she said calmly.

"Wait, Seto? Like 'Seto Kaiba??'" asked Alexis, eyes wide. As if to make things worse, clouds suddenly covered up the sun and a thunder crash could be heard.

"Oh, man! It's going to start pouring!!" stated Atticus.

"Let's carry her to that pavilion over there..." Kisara said. "Noah honey, get our picnic stuff okay?" she asked her oldest, a ten-year-old boy with blue eyes and brown hair like his father's.

"Okay, Mom," he said.

"Babe, what can I do?" Seto Kaiba asked.

"Pick her up and get her to the pavilion over there," Kisara said, pointing at a place where people had picnics when the weather wasn't cooperative.

Violet was still shaking, but came to her senses. "S-Sy, come on, y-you have to let go of her hand for a second..." she coaxed, placing a pale hand on his. Syrus didn't seem to hear her.

"It's all right," Seto said. "It's okay, kid, just stay next to us...then you can hold her hand when we're under cover..."

Jaden looked up at him. "You're Seto Kaiba..."

Syrus nodded a little, standing and letting go as Annie was picked up. Violet blinked as a drop of water hit her nose, causing her body to go rigid. "It's starting to rain, come on!" called Alexis, running towards the pavilion.

The group tore across fast, and four little kids tore to the pavilion. "Mom, we've got it!"

"Thanks, sweetie," Kisara said taking out a blanket from the picnic basket that the little boy, Noah held. "Seto, lay her down." The nearly thirty-one-year-old CEO laid the unconscious teen down on a picnic table and dialed 911. Kisara laid the blanket over Annie and checked her pulse again. Syrus sat beside Annie, still not having said a word. The rain had started falling, drenching everything and turning the ground muddy. Violet was leaning against one of the pavilion poles, staring into space with her eyes wide. Alexis and Atticus were just trying not to think about all of the possibilities of what could happen. Zane sat next to his brother and Jaden did too.

Seto put his hand over his phone for a minute. "Kisara, they're coming...What's her pulse rate?"

"Just put me on..." Soon, the young doctor was on the phone talking in medical jargon and the kids were face to face with the main founder of their school and his young family.

"Your girlfriend'll be all right, kid..." Seto said to Syrus.

Syrus nodded a little but remained silent, apparently lost in his own thoughts or prayers. Violet had slid to the floor and pulled her knees up to her chest, face buried in her arms. Alexis sighed; those two were the closest to Annie besides her family. Her eyes widened. "Hey, shouldn't we call her parents?"

"Oh, yeah..." Zane said. "We should call them from the hospital...Mom's there. She'll know what to do... They'll probably take her to Domino Children's..."

Suddenly, Violet felt something soft rub against her leg, and lifted her head to see Watapon. He squeaked and nudged his head in Annie's direction, so Violet looked over and saw Usagi. It looked like she was trying to comfort Syrus.

"Syrus, she's still here," Usagi whispered. Winged Kuriboh appeared at this moment and cuddled next to Jaden.

"Thanks, buddy," he whispered.

"Some of you can see duel spirits, huh?" Seto observed softly.

Noah looked at Winged Kuriboh. "Uncle Yugi used to have you, Winged Kuriboh..."

Violet nodded quietly, hugging Watapon to her chest for comfort. Syrus seemed to come out of his trance a little, but remained silent.

So Alexis decided to explain. "Yeah. Jaden, Syrus, Annie, and Violet can see them."

"All our kids can see duel spirits. And Kisara can..." Seto explained.

Jaden looked up. "Um...Mr. Kaiba...my dad was going to call you today..."

Alexis' eyes widened. "Yeah, that's right. Uh, we were wondering if you had any footage from the school duel..."

Seto looked at Chazz. "That was when you and Jaden fought, right?"

Chazz nodded. "Yeah, and we kind of need tapes if they're there..."

Alexis glanced at Chazz and Atticus, Atticus actually looking serious for once. "Mr. Kaiba, please, we need those tapes. It's important; Jaden's dad can explain it in more detail," Atticus added.

"All right, and please call me Seto, okay?" The kids nodded. And then they heard the sound of the ambulance. The car came to a halt at the park entrance, two paramedics climbing out into the rain.

They brought out a stretcher from the back and ran to the pavilion, stopping by Kisara and Annie. "How are her vitals?" asked one, a female with brown hair in a ponytail and green eyes.

"Her pulse is racing and she hasn't regained consciousness," Kisara explained. "She undergoes syncope on a regular basis, according to her friends..."

"Right. Let's get her into the ambulance," replied the other paramedic, a tanned man with cropped red hair and brown eyes. They gently placed Annie on a stretcher, and lifted it.

"Are any of you related to this girl?" asked the female paramedic.

All heads shook.

"My brother's her boyfriend, though...He's her fiancé," Zane said quickly, shoving Sy forward.

"Yeah," Jaden added quickly.

Syrus, for once, didn't blush; though he did catch the lie. However, he understood why Zane had lied and nodded in confirmation. "All right. He can ride in the ambulance. Let's go," stated the man. They carried Annie out into the rain, quickly getting her into the back of the ambulance. The female paramedic and Syrus climbed in back as well, while the male paramedic got in the cab and drove off.

"You kids need a ride to Domino Children's, right?" Seto asked. "We'll take you in our limo...Roland!" Seto said to a man with black hair that was graying at the temples and who was wearing a black suit and glasses. "Run get the limo. We need to get to the hospital..."

"Yes, sir." Violet wasn't sure if she would be able to stand. She knew it wasn't her fault, but it seemed that she always ended up losing her friends. Watapon squeaked in her arms, but failed to get her attention.

"Thank you, sir," stated Alexis.

"No problem," Seto said. "My friends and I have had our share of scares."

Bastion noticed how pale Violet was. "Violet, darling, climb on my back...I'll take you piggyback, all right?" Violet awakened a little at Bastion's voice, and shakily climbed onto his back. Everyone headed for the limo, trying not to get too wet in the rain.

Kisara got in first, getting Noah and his brother and sisters into the car. "Sit still, kids, all right?"

"Yes, Mama..." the four chorused.

"Wow, a limo," Jaden said, climbing in with his friends. They got situated quickly and the car began to move.

Chazz sighed. "My first day at the park...it just had to turn out bad, didn't it..."

"Chazz..." Zane said, "this wasn't your fault..."

Violet sat beside Bastion, cuddling close to him as if wishing she could just disappear.

Alexis turned to Chazz. "It's not your fault, Chazz. It could have happened anywhere, anytime."

"Sis...it just seems like...What if..?" He couldn't complete the thought.

Alexis frowned. "'What if' what, bro?"

"Annie could...leave us..."

Violet twitched a little, but otherwise remained silent. "Kisara, you don't think she might..." Alexis asked, biting her bottom lip.

"Not now..." Kisara said. "We don't know what's wrong, but I don't think so...not now, anyway..."

"You see, Chazz? Maybe everything will turn out okay..." Suddenly, the limo stopped, they were in front of Domino Children's Hospital.

The group of teens tore out of the car and then the Kaibas were bringing up the rear. They found Syrus in a waiting room, crying. Zane and Jaden moved up to him fast, pulling him into a hug. "Bro..." Jaden said.

"Syrus..." Zane whispered.

Tears still ran down Syrus' cheeks as he clung to his brother and best friend for comfort. Then, Darla appeared through a doorway, looking a little disheveled as if she had been running. "I just heard. Tell me, what happened??" she asked worriedly.

"We were playing soccer, Mom," Zane said, "and we were running. The next thing we knew Annie was on the ground. And then Kisara came and helped us."

"Hello, Darla..." Kisara said.

"Hello, Kisara. Thank you for helping Annie. Things may have taken a turn for the worse if it wasn't for you."

"You've got wonderful boys...And a good group of friends around them..."

"Babe..." Seto began, "I'm going to call the office and the guys..."

The young mother nodded. "Okay. Could you let them know where we are? Noah and Serena were supposed to play with the other kids today..."

"The guys? You don't mean..." asked Alexis, eyes wide. Syrus' sobbing had quieted, though he continued to cry. Violet was also silent, every now and then a shivering running through her body.

"I just hope Joey has his mobile on..."

"If he doesn't, Mai will..." Kisara concluded. Then she turned to Alexis. "Yeah, them..."

"Normally, I'd be excited about meeting them, but...it's kind of hard to be when your friend's in the emergency room," muttered Alexis sadly. Atticus nodded in agreement.

"That's kind of how I met Seto..." Kisara said.

"Huh? What do you mean, Kisara??" Alexis asked.

"Well, back about twelve years ago...I'd just started working here a year before...Yugi was brought in..."

"Yugi??"

Kisara nodded. "It wasn't too long after he, Seto and their friends had graduated from high school...Yugi was depressed because he'd had to say good-bye to a good friend..."

Alexis' eyes widened. "He didn't try to...you know..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.

Kisara nodded again. "He tried...but luckily Joey found him in time... He'd bandaged Yugi's wrists himself and knew pressure points. Yugi was unconscious though, and for a little bit, your mom, Alexis and Atticus, thought that he might not make it..."

"Our mom took care of Yugi??" the siblings asked.

"She was one of the doctors who did..." Kisara confirmed. "I'd been working here for a year and I was working under her when it happened. And as it happened, we didn't have enough of the blood Yugi needed... His friends were a wreck. Joey is type O negative and he could donate, but none of his other friends there could, except for Seto...he and Yugi have the same rare blood type and he gave without hesitation."

Jaden's eyes widened. "Wow...they have the same blood type?" Kisara nodded. "So then what happened?"

"I was the one who had to set up the boys for the donation, and he and I got talking. He wasn't sure how to flirt with me, but he did a good job..."

Alexis laughed a little. "But I thought Seto and Yugi were big rivals," stated Atticus, a little surprised.

"Well...the thing was...what happens in the arena can stay in the arena, and Yugi had tried to let it stay in the arena. But early on in their rivalry, Seto hadn't let what happened in the arena stay there..." She sighed. Seto looked at her and nodded. "It was his...I can't call that thing anything..." Her blue eyes snapped. "Seto and his brother were in a bad situation as kids and it affected Seto badly. Therefore, anything he did, he felt he had to crush his opponents, but Yugi didn't feel that way."

Just then, the front doors of the hospital opened to reveal a group of people that the kids virtually worshipped, as well as a bunch of small children with them. Syrus and Violet didn't seem to notice, but Alexis, Darla, Atticus, and the others sure did. "Oh my gosh...it's Yugi!"

"Seto, what happened?" Yugi asked, running in with his wife Tea and their children at his side.

"Long story, but these kids attend Duel Academy and one of their group is in trouble. Kisara helped her, but there's no telling what's wrong..."

"Duel Academy, Seto??" asked Joey Wheeler. He was a few feet away from Yugi with his wife Mai and their three kids, arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah, Joey..." Seto nodded.

Zane got up. "Hello, all of you...I...it's an honor, but I wish the circumstances were different."

"Hey, thanks. Sorry about what happened to your friend, uh..." began Joey, realizing he didn't know the boy's name.

"Zane Truesdale...I just started in the Pro League last summer..." Zane offered.

And despite the seriousness of the situation, Jaden stood looking at his heroes, stars in his eyes. "Wow..."

"Oh yeah, I've heard about you." Joey blinked when he noticed Jaden staring at him, then sweat-dropped.

"Jaden...it's not polite to stare," Alexis growled, standing to tug on his ear.

Kisara grinned. "It's okay, Alexis, we get this all the time. Jaden, I believe you know Yugi...he told us about giving Winged Kuriboh to a boy matching your description..."

"R-really?" Jaden asked as Alexis let go of his ear.

"Really really," Yugi said. "Chancellor Shepherd says you're quite the duelist. So, who are all of you?"

Chazz stood up. "Chazz Princeton...I'm hoping to have a different last name soon."

Seto looked at the boy. "I didn't get to thank you personally for saving the school, Chazz. I wish you hadn't had to face Slade."

"I'm glad I did...and I'm going to get away from him and Jagger forever if you're able to help..."

"Bastion Misawa, how do you do?" Bastion introduced himself to the entire group.

"I'm Alexis Rhodes and this is my brother, Atticus. What Chazz was talking about earlier, Seto, was that our parents were trying to gain custody of him," she explained.

Atticus glanced warily at Syrus and Violet, who seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. 'I'm used to seeing Little Blue down, but it's weird seeing Vi like this. I'm waiting for her to jump up and yell out her name all excited...' he thought.

"Oh, this is Syrus, my little brother," Zane said, indicating his silent sibling. "It's his girlfriend, Annie that's in the ER. They started dating a few months ago...they're kind of serious..."

Yugi moved over to the small boy who on some level reminded him of himself. "Hello there, Syrus..." Syrus glanced up, but otherwise remained silent. His eyes were red from crying and his knees were brought up to his chest on the chair, small arms wrapped tightly around them.

"I'm Yugi and these are my family and friends," the King of Games said. "This is my wife, Tea, and our kids, Sophie, Yugi, Temmy and Lily." He indicated Tea, a little girl with brown hair and her father's violet eyes, twin boys who looked just like their father and a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes like her mother. Syrus looked at them all, then returned his gaze to the floor. It was rather obvious that he didn't feel like talking.

Mai Wheeler moved forward to the kids. "I'm Mai...and these are our kids, Angela, Jo-jo and Gina," indicating a little girl who looked kind of like Alexis, a little boy who looked exactly like his father, and a little girl who had her mother's eyes.

"Poor kid. Must be in shock...I know I'd go crazy if anything happened to Mai," muttered Joey, sighing.

Tea frowned. "So, is that everyone? Anyone else whose name we didn't catch??" she asked, double-checking.

"Violet..." Bastion coaxed, but his love wasn't talking. "This is Violet Haverbrook, my girlfriend. She's also Annie's best friend..."

Violet blinked at the mention of her name, but was pretty much in the same state as Syrus. However, she had something far different on her mind. 'Is there something about me? I mean, I lost my best friend and my boyfriend. My other friends stopped talking to me after that. Now, when I finally get a new best friend, she...maybe I'm not meant to have friends," she thought, burying her face in her arms.

And then, another one of the older women moved forward. "Violet, it's okay, you're scared," she said in a soft, sweet voice. "I'm Serenity Taylor...I'm Joey's sister..." She put her arms around the clearly heartbroken teen girl.

Violet came to life a little at the human contact, mind settling on what to do. She politely broke away from the hug and stood, a little shaky from not having used her legs for so long. Violet walked over to Syrus, bowing a little so that her long purple bangs shadowed her eyes. "Syrus...I..."she began trying to get his attention. Syrus glanced up at Violet, a little surprised when he saw her crying. "I'm sorry! I'm nothing but bad luck!! I always end up losing my friends, I shouldn't have any! Please forgive me if anything bad happens to Annie!!" she blurted out. Then, before anyone could stop her, she ran outside into the pouring rain. She wanted to be far away, away from everyone...alone, like she felt she was meant to be.

Bastion took one look at the group. "Pardon me; I have to go after her..." And without another word, he charged out of the room and out into the rain. "VIOLET!!"

Violet was already about half a yard away from the hospital entrance, the cold rain stinging her face. She barely heard Bastion's yell over a thunder crash. 'Stop! Go back to him!!' her mind and heart yelled. But deep inside, something told her to keep running. 'You don't deserve him! You don't deserve anyone!! No wonder your boyfriend and best friend lied to you!'

"VIOLET! STOP!" Bastion shouted, running up to her.

Finally, she did, falling to her knees and burying her face in her hands. "Why did you follow me, Bastion? You should have stayed with your friends! I...I..." she gasped out between sobs.

"Darn it all, Violet!" Bastion said, pulling her into his arms. "I love you...and I am not going to lose you..."

"But...but...I love you so much! And I'm afraid that...that I'll lose you, just like I've lost everyone else in my life!! It...it would be better if I just stopped now, so that I wouldn't have to deal with the pain later...again..." she shouted, clinging to his shirt.

"No...Violet...I am not leaving you...I can't lose you..." He held her close. "C'mon, you're going to catch your death out here. Let's go back inside," he coaxed.

"But, Bastion, what if I just bring your friends more bad luck? I don't want to lose anyone else..."she replied as they stood. Her purple hair was plastered to her face from the rain, a few streaks of wet dirt still there from earlier.

"You think this is your fault?" Bastion tilted her chin up. "This is not your fault..." Bastion's own eyes were teary.

Violet's eyes widened a little, and she reached up to brush away one of his tears. "W-Why are you crying?"

"I love you so much, it hurts...and I can't lose you now..."

Violet realized that she'd been only thinking of herself, and not even considering what her actions were making Bastion feel like. "Oh, Bastion, I...I'm so sorry!" she sobbed, burying her face into his rain-soaked chest.

He just stood there for a moment, feeling her tremble against him. He had his arms around her. "It's all right, darling. We'll face this together..."

They had started walking back towards the hospital entrance, Violet still huddled against him. "Bastion, what I said to Syrus, what if he...hates me now?"

"He won't hate you...darling, everyone is upset...and he'll understand...You didn't know him and Zane well our first year. Did you know he hated himself enough to try to leave the academy on a flimsy raft?"

"Really?" It hit Violet how similar that seemed to what she'd just done. They'd both felt terrible and tried to run away from their problems. Maybe she and Syrus had more in common than they had first thought. Violet was so wrapped up in this new revelation that it took her a moment to realize they'd entered the hospital.

"Yes...you see..." And he told her all that had happened with Dr. Crowler and Zane. "I never would have made such a good friend if he'd left..."

Violet frowned, reaching over to wring the excess water from her long ponytail. She was starting to regret running out into the rain, every now and then a shiver coursing through her. "I-I'm sorry, Bastion..."

"Oh, my..." Kisara said, coming out of the waiting room with Mai. "Mai, could you run down to the cafeteria and get a couple of hot chocolates? Take my card. These two are going to have the sniffles. Come here, both of you..." She ran and grabbed a couple of blankets. "Get back in here and warm up," Kisara said, getting the blankets around them.

"Thank you, Kisara," Bastion said.

Violet clutched the blanket to herself, taking a deep breath before stepping into the waiting room with Bastion and Kisara. She glued her eyes onto the ground, not daring to look up.

Jaden came up first. "Violet...it's okay...what happened that made you think you're unlucky?"

Violet bit her bottom lip, fingers tightening around the blanket. "I-It's a long story..."she replied.

Alexis walked over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Violet, it's all right. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

Violet shook her head. "No, I should. Friends should know these things. It happened over two years ago..." she began. So, Violet told what happened with her and Mike, a few fresh tears rolling down her cheeks during the telling.

The older men in the room were visibly angry. Mai had returned with the hot chocolate and handed it to the two drenched teens. "That jerk..." she growled. "I'd say more but my kids, nieces and nephews are here..."

"That doesn't make you unlucky," Tea said softly, coming over as well and taking Violet's hand. "Real friendship doesn't ditch people..."

Violet smiled a little, glancing at Bastion and then at everyone else. "Thanks...I think I know that now. Sy, I...I'm sorry..."

Now it was Syrus' turn to finally move, walking over to hug Violet. "I don't blame you, Violet. And don't think it's your fault, because it's not. We're both worried about Annie..."

Then Tristan Taylor had a thought. "Hey, guys...does anyone need to call their parents?"

A few sets of eyes blinked. "Oh no, we forgot to call Annie's parents!" Violet gasped.

"Mom would've called," Zane said. "And she'd probably tell Annie's mom when they knew something, too..."

Darla had left earlier to call Annie's mom and dad, go check with the doctors about Annie, and now walked back into the room. "You all can stop worrying now. Annie's in a regular hospital room and doing okay. You can see her if you want."

_So Annie is okay for now, much to the relief of her friends. And Violet is facing her demons and Bastion would slay those demons if he only could. So what will happen next? You'll just have to stay tuned, read and review to find out! See you next time!_


	17. Relief

Chapter XVII: Relief

_Welcome back, everyone to the latest installment of "Summer Love, Summer Fears." Now for those of you who are keeping track of the reviews, some of you may have noticed that we've had two negative ones. To those of you who don't like this story, that's fine. We're just having fun writing it. Now, if we disagree with your assessment, that doesn't mean we reject it completely. Further, just because we like our story doesn't mean we think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread; we just like our story. So with that out of the way, thanks to all of you who reviewed, good or bad. And let's all keep it cool; we don't want anyone hunting anyone else down._

_Last time, Annie was raced to Domino Children's and admitted with a dangerously high heartbeat. Thankfully, Kisara Kaiba was able to help in some form and comfort the teens. To the Duel Academy students' surprise, the heroes they'd grown up with arrived at the hospital as well. So what will happen now? Read and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own anything but our OCs, the original group's children or this version of the Yugi-verse. **_

A sigh of relief escaped the teens as Darla Truesdale told them that Annie was out of danger. The adults and small children moved so that the teenagers could head down the hall to their sick friend. "I'd like to stay here, Seto," Kisara said softly.

"How come, babe?"

"Something tells me I'm needed..."

Darla led them to Annie's hospital room where the girl was sitting up with an EKG/ECG monitor on her and an IV drip in her arm. "Hey, guys," she said weakly.

Syrus immediately ran over to her, eyes shining with fresh tears. "Annie! You're okay!! I'm so glad..." Violet decided to give the two a moment, even though she really wanted to talk to her best friend.

"Hey, Sy, I'm okay..." Annie said weakly as he came up to her bedside.

"Everyone, let's give them some privacy," Bastion whispered.

"But why?" Jaden asked.

"Because they probably need to talk things out a little. Wouldn't you want to be alone with Alexis after she got hurt?" whispered Violet. They left the room, Syrus and Annie the only ones remaining.

"Annie, I was so worried. I thought you might..." A few tears slid down his cheeks.

She was in a bed that was tilted upward. "Come here, Sy..." she said softly, getting him close so she could hug him. And she did.

"Everyone got worried, Annie. Violet and I just broke down; we didn't even talk until just a little bit ago. Are you sure that you're okay? Did the doctors say anything??" Syrus climbed up to sit beside Annie on the bed, making it easier for them to remain in the hug.

"They're running tests..." Annie sighed. "I don't remember even feeling faint that time...I just remember passing the ball, and then waking up here..."

Syrus then remembered something. "Uh, Annie, you know how they only allow family members or engaged people onto the ambulance?"

"Yeah..." she answered tiredly.

"Well, uh, to ride in the ambulance with you, we told them that I was your...fiancé..." Syrus bit his bottom lip nervously, hoping she wouldn't be upset.

Annie smiled. "I'm okay with that...I don't think I could do any better than you..." Her eyes were closing.

"Don't say that, Annie. You could have any guy you wanted. But...I'm glad you chose me." He leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips just before her eyes closed and she drifted off.

"Stay with me..." she whispered.

"I will, Annie. I told you I'd stay with you through this..."he replied, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

Annie fell asleep smiling. It was at this moment that Jaden stuck his head around the door, a few dozen people behind him. "Can we come in if we're quiet?"

Syrus smiled and nodded, wiping any remaining tears from his eyes with the back of his arm. Violet was one of the first to walk over, looking down happily at Annie. "I'm so glad she's okay...I…" The girl had an explosive sneeze. Luckily, Violet had finished her drink a few minutes ago; otherwise it would have splattered all over Syrus and Annie.

Chazz had been at the forefront of the group but was now hanging back at the room door. "Um..." he said, looking nervous.

Alexis noticed this and walked over to him. "Chazz, is something wrong?"

"I get creeped out in hospital rooms..." he admitted.

Alexis smiled, taking his hand into hers and gently squeezing it. "Don't worry; we're all here for you. Come on..."she coaxed, pulling him into the room.

Yugi and Tea found a spot in the room with their kids, while Joey and Mai, Tristan and Serenity and Seto and Kisara did the same with their families. "She's pretty, Syrus," Yugi commented.

Syrus smiled. "Yeah, but she doesn't think so. I keep telling her she puts herself down too much...kind of like me, I guess..." he added as an afterthought.

Violet sniffed a little, then placed her hand on Syrus' small shoulder. "You guys are getting more confident, I can tell. You build on each other a lot..."

"Um...Syrus? Did you ever fight in the virtual world?" Noah piped up suddenly. He looked at the big boy with his piercing blue eyes, wanting an answer.

"Uh...yeah. Why do you ask?"

"I used to live there..." Noah said, and then looked at his parents. "Oops..."

"It's okay, sweetie..." Kisara said. "I think they can know, since Uncle Yugi obviously trusts Jaden with Winged Kuriboh..."

The teenagers' eyes widened. "What do you mean? How's that possible??" asked Violet.

"Noah...used to live in the cyber world, and before that...he was...Noah Gozaburo Kaiba..."

"No way! Uh, how did he get out?" asked Syrus curiously.

Kisara looked at Seto, who decided that this was his story to tell... "Well, about 12 years ago, Mokuba and I discovered we had...an adoptive brother that we hadn't known existed. He'd gone into an irreversible coma and his father transferred his consciousness to a computer system. It wasn't until Battle City that we found out. He almost sacrificed himself saving our whole group from...my...adoptive father, who'd also transferred his consciousness. But Noah managed to save himself on a back-up system...He found Mokuba and me, and by then, I'd met Kisara. And when she found out she was pregnant, we transferred Noah's consciousness. So he ended up here and knows a lot about the real world and the cyber world..."

Kisara held her eldest son close. "And he has Serena to keep him grounded." A little girl with her uncle's gray eyes and black hair stood next to her brother, smiling.

Violet blinked a few times. "Wow...that has to be one of the coolest stories I've ever heard…" She sneezed again, loudly.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh, I agree with Violet. That's amazing."

"Wasn't one of your friends a dinosaur?" Noah asked.

Jaden looked at the little boy. "Umm...yeah...Hassleberry was..."

Syrus blinked. "Oh, yeah! Well, Jaden did most of the fighting, though..."

'Oh man, all the stuff Rosa and Hassleberry have missed...' thought Violet, sniffing.

"Oh, crud! Hassleberry! Did anybody call them?" Chazz asked.

Violet and the other kids shook their heads. "They don't know anything. Chazz maybe becoming a Rhodes, Annie collapsing, the story I told you...dang it, why'd they have to go so far away?" Violet frowned.

Jaden looked at his watch. "They're probably just sitting down to dinner by now... Maybe we should..."

"I don't know; I wouldn't want to ruin their first dinner together with their families. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow," offered Syrus, frowning.

"Hassleberry would want to know right away," Chazz countered. "Would Rosa want to know?" he asked the girls. Alexis and Violet exchanged glances, a little bit uncertain.

"We'd want to know," Yugi said quietly. "Back at Battle City...I hated not knowing anything when Joey, Mai and Bakura were down."

"All right. Uh, does anyone know Hassleberry's phone number?" asked Syrus, sweat-dropping.

Jaden did. "I do..."

"Let's go out in the hallway and call them, we don't want to accidentally wake up Annie. I'll go with you, Jaden," offered Alexis. So, they walked out into the hallway. "Oh, here, you can use my cell phone," she added, handing it to him.

"Thanks, Lex...Stay with me, okay? This isn't going to be easy..."

Miles away in Crawford, Texas, the young man known to most people as Hassleberry was happy. "Hey, Rosa, darlin', tomorrow we should go swimmin'!" he said happily as they sat in his mom's huge kitchen.

Rosa blinked in surprise. "There is agua around here?" She hadn't seen any, and was about to say so when the phone rang.

Hassleberry picked up the phone. "Hello, Hassleberry residence...Oh, hi, Sarge, how's...What? Private Annie?!"

That got Rosa's attention. "What is it? What happened??"

"Darlin', get the other phone in the livin' room...Sarge, slow down..."

Rosa nodded and ran to the living room, picking up the second phone. She blinked, not understanding a word Jaden said. "Uh, could you slow down, Senor Jaden?" she repeated, sweat-dropping.

"All right...Hi, Rosa...Listen, Annie's in the hospital...something happened today..." Jaden said slowly.

Rosa would have lifted Jaden by his shirt collar in her rush, immediately worried. "What happened??"

"We were playing soccer at the park and she just...collapsed. One minute, she was running and laughing...And the next...she was down."

"Is she all right?"

"Right now..."

"Sarge, what do you mean?"

"They don't know what's wrong yet...It scared the heck out of Sy, though, and Violet too..."

Rosa sighed and sunk onto the couch, a hand over her eyes. "If only we were there...I wish we could comfort them..."

"Rosa, Hassleberry, it'll be okay and we'll keep you posted. She's staying overnight here at the hospital, but so are we. And you guys won't believe what happened!" His voice, serious, had gone to excited.

Rosa blinked in surprise at the sudden change. "What??"

Hassleberry shrugged at her as if to say, "It's the Sarge..."

"We have Yugi here!" Jaden said excitedly.

"Who?" Rosa asked, not entirely comprehending.

"Yugi Moto, Seto Kaiba's rival!"

"Oh. I nearly forgot."

"And their families are here, too! Seto's wife's a doctor and she helped Annie!"

"Sarge, that was lucky!" Tyson said gladly.

"Si, I am glad that she is all right. What about Senor Syrus and Senorita Violet? Are they okay??"

"They're shaken up...but they're okay," Jaden said, reverting to seriousness. He sighed. "Oh, one other thing...Chazz is going to be Lex and Atticus's brother!"

"What?! Why, how, when??"

"Well, last night at dinner..." Jaden explained quickly what had happened. "And so my dad's going to help and get Lex and Atticus's mom and dad to have custody of Chazz!"

"Sarge..." Hassleberry was nearly speechless.

Rosa was rubbing her temples in an effort to help her mind register all of this sudden information. "Is there anything else that we missed?"

Jaden grinned, looking at Alexis and then told them of the impromptu sleepovers and sleeping in the same beds. "And I dreamed I was dueling a giant marshmallow..."

Rosa blushed lightly. "I actually ended up falling asleep on Ty-Ty's shoulder..."

"Whoa... Dr. Crowler would so freak..." Jaden said delightedly. "Hey, do you guys want to talk with everybody else?"

"If it is all right, could I talk to Senorita Violet?" asked Rosa.

"Sure, and at least she's talking again..." Jaden said, padding into the room. "Hey, Violet? Rosa wants to talk to you."

Violet looked up and nodded, taking the phone. "Hi, Rosa! What's up??" she asked in her normal, cheerful tone.

Rosa smiled. "I just wanted to make sure that you were okay, Senorita Violet."

Violet smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine now. Anything else you wanted to know?"

"Senor Jaden told us a lot. About Senor Chazz, Senorita Annie, the sleepovers, Senor Yugi...is there anything else we missed that he forgot about?" Violet knew that it would only be right to tell them, and so repeated her story over the phone. She was surprised to find it a little easier to tell.

Hassleberry sat, listening to the conversation and smiling. 'Good going, Private Misawa...' he thought, pumping his fist in triumph.

Rosa growled a little. "Senorita Violet, if that jerk ever bothers you again...I will break him in half!"

Violet sweat-dropped. "Uh...thanks, Rosa. But like I told Bastion-baby, I don't want anyone getting hurt. Anyway, it was nice talking to you."

Rosa smiled. "Adios, Senorita Violet! Wish Senorita Annie luck for me!!"

Violet passed the phone to Syrus who wanted to talk to Hassleberry. "Hey, Private Truesdale, how are you doin', soldier?"

"Better, now that I know Annie's going to be okay. What about you and Rosa? Did everything go okay at the airport??" Rosa sweat-dropped at the memories triggered by his question.

"Yeah, though I almost forgot her passport, and then I got strip-searched!" Hassleberry said. "I've never had to be in my dino-trunks in an airport before!"

Syrus had to cover his mouth with his hand so that he wouldn't accidentally wake Annie with his laughter. "I wish I could have seen that!"

"Yeah... Well, then Rosa had some trouble and I found out about her culture a bit more...She's got these ball thingies and they're kind of like an engagement present!"

"Rosettas, Ty-Ty. Maybe I will explain it later, when we see each other again. It is a bit… como se dice?..difficult."

"Well, I'm glad you guys didn't get arrested or anything. Oh! I think Annie's waking up, so I've got to go. Okay?"

"Okay, Private. Give her an extra hug for us, okay?"

"Right! Bye!!" Syrus hung up and gave Alexis her phone back, turning to smile at Annie.

"Hey...What's everybody doing here?" she asked weakly when she awoke.

"We were all worried about you, Annie. I'm glad my best bud's okay!" replied Violet. She would have hugged Annie, but instead gave her one of her biggest grins.

"Hey, Violet...you can hug me if you want to...It'd be nice..." Annie said softly, holding her arms out a bit.

Violet immediately smothered her best friend in a hug, then felt a sneeze coming on. She quickly jumped back as she let out another monster sneeze. "Man, that's annoying!"

"You're all wet, Violet...What happened?" the dark-haired girl asked weakly.

Violet sighed, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "Let's just say I wasn't my usual self while you were unconscious..." Again, she explained what she'd done in the waiting room and then what had happened outside in the rain.

"Nice work, Bastion...you went running after her..." Annie said softly.

"Yeah...I did...you gave us quite a fright, Annie..."

"I'm sorry...Violet? You're not bad luck," Annie said. "In fact, if it wasn't for you, I never would've had the guts to ask Sy to that movie night..."

Violet smiled softly. "Yeah, I know that now. But it's nice to hear it from you, Annie. If anything, I'm lucky to have so many great friends...and a great boyfriend." Violet grinned, practically tackle-hugging Bastion like she always did with her hugs.

"Darling..." Bastion whispered.

Then Annie noticed her other visitors. "Oh, my..." she said, eyes going wide.

"Yes?" Violet asked, grinning.

_And there's another chapter, everyone. We each hope you enjoyed it and await your reviews! Until next time, see you later!_


	18. Hero Worship Part I

Chapter XVIII: Hero Worship Part I

_Hello again, everyone! It's Peach and 15animefreak15 with another installment of "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" We say thank you to all of our regular reviewers and welcome to the new ones! We're glad to have so many people that like our story and our OCs. And so we continue with a two-part chapter due to length._

_Last time, Annie was stable and Yugi and his crew joined the GX kids in the girl's hospital room. Something was revealed about Seto and Kisara's eldest son, Noah, and Hassleberry and Rosa were alerted as to Annie's condition. And then after a short nap, Annie awoke to see her heroes in her hospital room. So what will happen next? Read and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise and only own this idea and their OCs.**_

Annie Hanson's eyes widened in surprise and shock as she saw the adult duelists that had made her school possible. If she'd been standing up, she might've passed out, but fortunately did not. Joey waved a hello from where they sat. "Hey there. You know who we are?" he asked, smiling.

"Of course I do, Mr. Wheeler. I saw when your wife dueled...It was so sweet what you said to her..."

Joey blushed a little. "Ah, it was nothin'... And the name's Joey, kid. I only go by Mr. Wheeler at Kaiba Corp or the kids' school."

"Okay. Well, what you said…it was sweet...it helped us figure out our movie night." And then she noticed the others.

"Well, I'm glad that you know so much about my brother, Annie. In case you didn't know, I'm his little sister, Serenity. And this is my husband, Tristan Taylor. He's also Yugi and Joey's friend," explained Serenity, smiling warmly.

"Hi...You're the one Joey went to Duelist Kingdom for..." Annie said. "Your brother's awfully brave... And you're Tea Gardner...Um, Muto now, right?"

Tea nodded. "Yeah, Yugi's my husband." She laughed, blushing a little. "You seem to know a lot about us, Annie."

"Yeah..." Annie said. "I remember a lot of stuff...I drive Violet crazy..." She trailed off, eyes widening. "Yugi...wow..."

"Is something wrong?" asked Tea worriedly. Annie shook her head, stunned silent in the presence of the King of Games.

"Hi, there," Yugi said.

"I'm surprised you're here...In fact," Annie said, regaining her powers of speech, "I'm wondering how the King of Games, his biggest rival and his best friends and families are all in my hospital room...Did I miss something?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Violet offered her best friend a shrug. "Hey, I have as much of an idea as you do, Annie. I usually expect you to know all the…ah, ah, ACHOO!! That is getting so old." She grumbled, pouting.

Bastion decided to explain, "Annie...the Kaibas were in the park as it happened and when you collapsed, Mrs. Kaiba...Kisara, terribly sorry, ma'am...came up and helped as did Seto. You were in some trouble." Annie looked over at the Kaibas.

"Thank you," the girl said.

Kisara was smiling. "Sweetie, it's okay...I'm a doctor and it's my job to help people."

Seto looked at her. "You look familiar, Annie...What's your last name?"

"Hanson, sir," she said, knowing she had to tell the truth and wondering what her friends might think of this.

"Are you Alex Hanson's little girl, by any chance?"

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."

"It's Seto, Annie..."

Syrus blinked in surprise. "Seto, you know Annie's dad?"

"Yeah, I've met him. His company makes a component that's in your duel discs..."

"Really? Annie, did you know that??" asked Alexis.

Annie nodded, blushing a bit. "Yeah...I just didn't think I needed to mention it. Kaiba Corp and HanCo. have been partners for the last few years..."

"Wow! How cool," cheered Violet, saying what everyone was thinking. Just then, Scout came into the room.

"Hey, everybody...I'm sorry but visiting hours are over," the mother and doctor said apologetically.

Violet pouted. "But...I don't want to leave Annie alone."

Syrus nodded in agreement. "Please, Scout, can't we spend the night with her?"

"Please?" the teenagers begged.

"Scout, I'll make sure they're quiet..." Kisara promised. She signaled the other doctor outside for a moment. "If something happens in the night, I think...Syrus, right?..would probably be better staying here..."

Scout nodded. "It's bending regulations, but…I think we can make an exception here if it keeps Annie's morale up and keeps the other kids happy."

"I hope they let us stay. I wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing Annie was okay," Syrus muttered, frowning as he sat in his chair. Violet nodded in agreement.

Scout and Kisara returned. "Okay...everybody can stay here if they want, but Dr. Kaiba has graciously offered to stay here to make sure you're all quiet..."

Kisara nodded at Scout in acknowledgement. "Everybody got that?" Everyone nodded. "Good."

"Babe, are you sure?" Seto asked his wife softly.

"They need me, honey..." she said simply.

"Maybe I should stay here too...We could get Mokuba and Becks to watch the kids..."

Alexis, meanwhile, had glanced warily from Violet to Jaden to Atticus. Those three always had been the loudest and craziest in the group. "Lex, I'm not going to mess around, all right?" Atticus promised.

Violet blinked in realization and pointed a finger at herself. "Me? You think I would...here?? Why, I'm offended." Violet scoffed, smiling lightly at her joke.

"I'll be good on my honor as the future King of Games..." Jaden said, glancing at Yugi.

Chazz nodded, smirking. "If they're loud, I'll duel them into submission 'cause I am the Chazz..."

"I'll be good, doctors...Dad would be very unhappy with me," Bastion added.

Violet smirked, wrapping a blanketed arm around Bastion. "Heh, we'll keep each other in che-ah...whew. For once I didn't…" And again she sneezed hard. "Crud..."

Syrus smiled a little. "If anything might be loud, it would be Violet's sneezing."

Violet pouted. "Oh ha ha, very funny. I just don't understand why Bastion-baby's not sneezing as much. No fair."

Alexis sweat-dropped, then turned to Yugi's group. "Are you all staying? You don't have to...we'll understand."

They looked at each other. "We stick together and we don't leave our friends in the lurch, old or new, right honey?" Yugi said, looking meaningfully at his wife.

"Of course. That's what friends are for. We'd never back out when someone needed us," she replied, smiling.

Joey nodded. "Hey, don't worry about us; we'll be fine!" he added with a grin.

Then, a loud growling sound could be heard, and everyone turned to look at Violet. "What? It wasn't me...for once."

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Heh, sorry, it was me. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast," he mumbled, blushing a little.

"All right...What would everybody say...quietly...if I ordered in?" Seto asked.

"Sounds good to me," replied Violet. Syrus nodded in agreement. Everyone else also agreed, most of the teens not having eaten since breakfast as well.

"Does anyone have a favorite or allergies?" Kisara asked.

"Just make sure it's not Chinese. That always makes me sick," Violet warned, gagging a little.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "How about pizza? That way there would be plenty," he suggested.

"No problem," Seto said, picking up his mobile phone. "What would everyone like?"

"I'd like pepperoni and black olives, please," Bastion said politely.

"Whatever's the house special," Zane said.

"Hawaiian," Chazz said.

"That's what I'm talkin' about, little bro," agreed Atticus, grinning.

Alexis sighed. "Just pepperoni's fine, thanks." Violet and Syrus nodded in agreement. The adults agreed with the selections and Seto called, placing the order.

"Guess we should call our parents and let them know we're staying," Zane said.

"Yes, Mum and Dad will be nervous," Bastion added thoughtfully.

Scout smiled. "I'll call everybody, okay, and Darla hasn't left yet, boys...I'll let her know. She'll probably want to bring your jammies. And Atticus, Alexis and Chazz, I'll have Daddy bring your things."

"Thanks, Mom," Chazz said.

Violet giggled a little at the word "jammies." "Hee hee, what about us, Bastion-baby? I personally wouldn't mind sleeping in my clothes...if they weren't all wet."

"Oh, goodness...I hope Dad hasn't left yet," Bastion said. "I'll be right back." Bastion was still quite wet from his run out into the rain and headed toward his father's ophthalmology office, not noticing the glances from girls and some urban cougars, also known as older women interested in younger men.

Violet had followed Bastion out into the hall, wanting to wait for him by the door. However, she noticed the look a passing nurse gave him...and a visitor...and an old lady! 'Oh I know they're not checking out my Bastion-baby!' she thought. Violet opened her mouth to yell, then remembered what Scout had said. "You got lucky this time. But I swear if I see any of you on the street, you'll get a piece of my mind," she growled out through tightly clenched teeth.

Meanwhile, Bastion made it to his dad's office just in time. Hiro was just getting ready to leave. "Hey, Dad!"

Hiro blinked in surprise, coming face-to-face with his son...who was soaked. "Bastion? What on Earth are you doing here?? And why are you all wet?" he questioned curiously.

"Dad...Annie's here...she passed out in the park and we couldn't wake her up..." He sighed. "She had to be brought here and then...Violet got upset during all this and ran out into the storm and...I ran after her...That's why I'm soaked."

"Oh my, that's some turn of events. Is everyone all right? You and Violet didn't happen to catch a cold, did you?" he asked worriedly.

"Violet's been sneezing a bit, Dad...but she'll be all right. Could you call Mum and have her bring our pajamas and some fresh clothes though? We want to stay tonight..."

"I understand, son. Don't worry, I'll get right on it. Is there anything else you or Violet might need?" Hiro lowered his voice to a whisper. "Kukalaka, perhaps?"

"Dad," Bastion groaned, laughing. "I think I'll be quite all right in that regard...You wouldn't believe what else happened, though," Bastion said, leading his father down the hall.

Hiro chuckled a little. "Yes, I know, son. Just a little joke. So then, what else happened?"

"Well," the boy said as they walked back to Annie's room, "we were in the park when she collapsed and a doctor from this hospital was there with her family and came running. That doctor was Kisara Kaiba..."

"Oh, Dr. Kaiba? What an amazing coincidence. You were quite lucky there was such a highly skilled physician nearby...oh my, what's wrong with Violet?" By now they had reached the door to Annie's room, where a fuming Violet stood. She seemed to be trying to bore a hole into the floor with her fiery glare.

"Violet? Darling? Why are you giving people a death glare?" Bastion asked curiously.

Violet grit her teeth, then let out the fiercest whisper she could muster. "Did you SEE those women?! They were checking you out! And I couldn't even tell them off because it'd be against the rules!!" Kisara, walking toward the door heard this and started laughing. Violet pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't see what's so funny." The next sneeze was so violent that it sent her flying backwards into Hiro.

Luckily, he'd been expecting this and easily caught her. "My, that is some cold you've caught."

"It's just that you remind me...of me," Kisara said through her laughter. "Hi, Hiro," she said. "I'm glad Bastion caught you. He's probably told you his friend gave them a bit of a scare..."

"Yes, I am, too. Thank you for helping them out so much. Could you possibly tell me how Annie's doing at the moment? I'm sure that Katai would want to know."

"Well...Bastion, go in there with them, will you?"

"Of course," he said, taking Violet by the hand.

Violet poked her head out of the door. "Oh, Kisara, one quick question. Do you have anything I can take for a headache? That last sneeze rattled my brain..." she groaned, rubbing her forehead.

"All right...we'll get you some cold medicine..." Kisara said, catching an orderly and sending her to get medication and hot tea. "Scout, could you come here a minute?" Violet nodded her thanks, then went back into the room with Bastion as Scout went out to the hallway. Just then, Darla Truesdale came down the hall. "Oh thank goodness. Darla, I'm glad you're here too..."

"How's everything going? I know that Annie's all right now, but is Syrus okay?? I know he and Violet were pretty shocked by Annie's sudden collapse." Darla held a mother's worried on her face as she asked this.

"Well...Violet and Syrus seem okay though Violet has a bit of a cold...But Annie...I'm a bit concerned about her, to be honest."

"What seems to be the problem? It's nothing serious, is it?" All three parents were listening anxiously, worried like any parent would be.

"Well...her heart rate was way too high in the park...dangerously high."

Scout looked at her. "Are you thinking it's her heart?"

Kisara nodded, also concerned, and thinking of her own kids."It could be, or it could've been an isolated incident."

"Well, let's pray that it's the latter of the two. I can't imagine how devastated the children would be if it was the former...oh! My goodness, I still have to call Katai. If you'll excuse me, doctors," Hiro nodded slightly, then quickly started down the hallway.

Darla turned back to Kisara. "You said that Violet may have caught a cold; has she taken any medicine yet? We don't need that escalating into another emergency."

Kisara shook her head. "I have an orderly getting an order of meds and tea for her." Just then, the orderly came with a dose of cold medicine, plus some hot tea with lemon and honey for Violet. "Violet? Here's your medicine, sweetie..."

Violet sniffed and nodded, taking the items from where she sat in a chair. "I'm not surprised I got sick. I never did have that strong of an immune system," she muttered bitterly. "Oh, and is it all right if I wait to take it? Grandma always said not to take medicine on an empty stomach," she added as an after-thought.

"Well, at least start with the tea...the lemon and honey will keep your throat relaxed and the tea will keep you warm..." Kisara said.

"All right. I just hope it tastes better than when I tried Dad's apple cinnamon tea." Violet added in the lemon and honey, taking a hesitant sip. Her eye twitched a little, but she managed to swallow it. "Yum...heh."

Syrus giggled a little. "How are you feeling, Annie?"

Annie was lying back in her pillows. "Okay...I'm sorry, everybody..." She hated it that she was weak; hated that she'd passed out (again) and hated that she might've caused inconvenience and scared everyone.

"Now stop that. No more saying sorry; it's not your fault. You and Sy both have to quit that," Violet asserted, taking another sip. She winced and shuddered inwardly, not particularly liking the tea.

Syrus blushed a little. "Uh, Violet has a point, Annie. You shouldn't blame yourself."

Annie couldn't help it. Combined with feeling ashamed and emotionally exhausted as well as a little hungry, she started crying.

"Oh, Annie, don't cry. I don't like it when you cry," Syrus whispered, frowning. He reached over and wrapped his arms comfortingly around her. Just seeing her tears made him want to cry, too.

"I just feel so bad," Annie whispered. "Sy, I wouldn't blame you if you broke up with me..."

"Don't feel bad, Annie. What's there for you to feel bad about?" He pulled away slightly to look her in the eyes. "And besides, I already told you that I'd stay with you through this. Remember? We'll support each other."

She met his gray eyes in awe. "You really mean that. Syrus..."

Yugi looked at Tea. "You said the same thing to me."

Tea nodded, remembering the scene after Yugi had woken up in the hospital. "Annie, consider yourself lucky to have someone who cares so much about you. Don't ever take it for granted or let it slip away," she advised quietly.

_And there we have Part One of Hero Worship! We hope you enjoyed it! Part II is coming up, so please review this chapter! Until next time, read, review and stay tuned._


	19. Hero Worship Part II

Chapter XIX: Hero Worship Part II

_Welcome, everyone, to yet another chapter of Peach and 15animefreak15's most reviewed fiction to date, "Summer Love, Summer Fears." Writing a story is fun; knowing people are getting some joy from what we write together doubles the enjoyment. And now we bring you part two of "Hero Worship."_

_Last time, Annie awoke in her hospital bed to discover her friends and her heroes around her. Miraculously, she didn't pass out in shock and was rather happy. The kids are all happy that their heroes are with them and are relaxing into comfortable conversation. So what will happen now? Read and find out!_

_**Typical legal stuff: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon franchises. They just own their OCs, the plot and just enjoy playing in the Yugi-verse.**_

_**Authors' note: Annie tells the story of her Moon Kingdom deck here.**_

Tea Gardner had just told Annie that Syrus's love was a very special thing and the teen girl should never let it go. Suddenly, the peaceful moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Excuse me; I have a pizza delivery for a Mr. Seto Kaiba?" a man in a pizza delivery uniform said, sticking his head in the room. And five pizza delivery people came in with 20 pizza boxes.

"Holy...wow!" Jaden said, eyes wide.

Seto grinned. "Chancellor Shepherd warned me about your appetite, Jaden and yours too, Violet. Also, your friends filled us in. Annie, we've got all kinds of pizza. What would you like?"

"Um...pepperoni and black olive, please..."

Violet grinned, blushing a little at Seto's comment. "Hey, what can I say? Big appetites run in the family."

Violet and Syrus both got themselves a slice of pepperoni, Syrus also grabbing a slice of pepperoni and olive pizza for Annie. "Here you go, Annie."

"Thanks, Sy...Um...Joey? You have a big appetite too, right?"

Joey grinned. "You bet I do! So does Tristan here." Both boys grabbed some of the pepperoni pizza for themselves and their wives, Tea getting some for herself and Yugi.

Syrus had just started eating his pizza when he blinked in surprise. "Uh, Violet...what are you doing?" he asked. Violet appeared to be eating the pizza...sideways?!

"Oh, that's how Violet always eats her pizza..." Annie explained.

"It's true..." Bastion added. "Violet always eats pizza like that in the Ra dining hall..."

"Annie, hon," Mai Wheeler asked, munching delicately on her pizza, "you sure do seem to know about us...you said you drive your friends nuts?"

Annie nodded. "My mom says I have a memory like a sponge, Mai...and I think you're an awesome duelist. Oh, I'm not a monster Joey fan girl...I don't have his poster up in my room...unlike some people I know..."

Violet blushed a little and sweat-dropped, knowing exactly who Annie had meant. Syrus laughed a little. "It's you, isn't it, Violet?" he asked.

She grinned sheepishly. "Well...yeah. Let's just say I had a crush on him, and still kind of did."

"You're not alone in having posters, Violet..." Annie admitted, blushing.

Violet grinned, unable to stop herself from glancing over at Seto. "Who does she have a poster of, Violet?" asked Alexis curiously.

Violet shook her head. "Not my place to tell." Then she stuffed what remained of her pizza into her mouth to emphasize her point.

Annie swallowed. "Um...I kind of designed it myself...I made a poster of you, Seto...as Tuxedo Mask..." She set her pizza down, blushing furiously.

Joey snickered a little, but not in a mean way. Some of the others giggled, especially the girls. "Wow. That's an interesting image..." Tea thought aloud, grinning.

"Don't worry about it, Annie. Everyone has crushes..." whispered Syrus, blushing a little as he thought of Dark Magician Girl.

"Well, I also made posters of my...heroes as Sailor Moon characters...partly because of my deck..." Annie blushed. "I thought you women would look cool as the Sailor Scouts..."

Tea grinned at this, being a Sailor Moon fan herself. "Oh really? Which one did you make me??" she asked curiously. By now most of them had had two slices and were filling up. However, Jaden, Violet, Joey, and Tristan almost seemed to be in some sort of contest to see who could eat the most pizza.

"Um, Sy, could you get my deck?" Annie asked.

"Sure!" He got her deck, then handed it to her.

Annie took her deck and flipped through it. "I made you Sailor Mercury, Tea. And Mai, you were Sailor Venus, though I changed your outfit because you look better in purple and white." Then she pulled out another card. "Serenity, I made you Sailor Jupiter..."

The women laughed a little bit. "How sweet of you, Annie. Joey! Aren't you full yet?!" Tea asked, frowning disapprovingly at her long-time friend. Joey frowned right back at her, and she sighed. "Fine, fine. You guys can all make yourselves sick. I don't know how many times you have to learn your lesson..."

Violet pouted. "Hey! Who're you calling a guy?"

Tea sweat-dropped. "Oh, right, sorry Violet."

"Kisara? I made you Sailor Moon..." Annie said.

"Sailor Moon? But my hair is white-blonde, not golden blonde..." she said in surprise.

Annie shook her head, looking at the older woman's hair. "You look like Queen Serenity, but you were young enough to be Sailor Moon. And I made your sister-in-law Sailor Mini Moon and Mokuba Mini Tuxedo Mask..."

"Annie, sometimes I wonder how you can possibly keep track of all that stuff. I can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning," stated Violet. She'd finally eaten her full after seven slices, though if she hadn't been sick probably would have eaten ten.

"Okay, Violet, you need to take your medicine," Kisara said.

Bastion sat there. "Violet...go on..."

She winced, and hesitated before asking the question she feared the answer to. "Uh, this isn't liquid, is it? It's, like, pills, right??"

"Is there a problem with liquid form, Violet?" Kisara asked.

"Well, not only does it taste worse to me, but the last time I took liquid I nearly choked on it. So, I almost always take pills, even though it's hard to get those down, too." Violet shrugged. "Usually when I get sick, I just let it take its course. I might take an Advil or something if I get a headache, though..."she explained.

"Well, you're in luck...This is a liquid-filled capsule," Kisara said. She handed the medicine to the girl who took it.

Violet blinked in surprise, examining the capsule for a moment. "Coolio. Well, down the hatch, as mom would say." She popped it into her mouth and swallowed it, surprised that it went down pretty smooth.

Meanwhile the group of older duelists crowded around Annie's bed. "Would you like to tell the story of your deck, Annie?" Yugi asked. "I'd love to hear it."

"If no one'll get bored, I'd love to..." Annie said.

Syrus was the only younger duelist still by Annie, the others having stepped back to make room for the older duelists. The teen girl laid out her cards and said, "This is the Moon Kingdom deck...I think I'm the only duelist that has a complete one..."

"The Moon Kingdom deck?" Mai asked. "Looks pretty..."

"It's pretty but tough, and it does have its weak spots," Annie said. "I like my deck, even if it definitely isn't unstoppable."

"I couldn't stop you," Zane commented.

"Zane, I really just got lucky," Annie said. "I know I couldn't do it again."

Tea and Serenity were looking at the Sailor Scout monster cards. "I had no idea Pegasus made these," Tea said in surprise.

"I kind of look for all things Sailor Moon and well...when I heard he'd gone to Naoko Takeuchi and gotten the rights, I watched for the release date on the cards," Annie said. "He made them when I was ten, and I begged Mom," she smiled at the memory. "She drove me around to every card shop from Bellevue to Bellingham and we got every card to complete the deck and I also went on Amazon and eBay..."

"Wow, you sure wanted those cards. I bet you were glad when you finally had them all," stated Joey, smiling. He remembered the card he treasured, his Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

"Yeah...I felt like I was meant for these cards," Annie explained. "But their legend is really cool, too since every card has a story. But all of mine are interconnected."

Annie took out a field spell card of a kingdom that reflected the Earth in a huge pool. "The story starts in the Moon Kingdom, in the time of the Silver Millennium, over a thousand years ago..."

The children of the older duelists gathered around. "YAY! STORY!" little Gina Wheeler squealed.

"Gina Elizabeth Wheeler," Mai said in warning.

"Sorry, Mommy..." Gina said softly.

"Okay..." Annie said. And so she told the story of a kingdom on the moon and the destruction of it, as well as the sacrifice its ruler made to save the universe and give her daughter a second chance at life and a future. She then told of how the young daughter and her friends were reborn on Earth and fought to defeat the force that had destroyed the Moon Kingdom one thousand years before. "And she did, with the help of the Sailor Scouts..." Annie concluded.

"My, what a lovely story, Annie, and beautifully told." The voice came from Hiro, who had stood in the doorway a little after Annie had started her story. "Katai was asleep when I got home, I think she was exhausted from recent...events." He glanced at Bastion. "Either way, I brought the things you wanted, son. Though it looks as if I was a little late." Violet was curled up on the chair covered with the blanket and snoring lightly. The combination of pizza, medication, and a story put her down easily, it seemed.

"It's all right, Dad. Annie, that was the story?"

"There's more to it, but that's just part one...That's Season 1 and the first set of manga..." Annie explained. "Thanks, Dr. Misawa. Oh, Violet fell asleep," she blushed. But it seemed Violet wasn't the only one who'd fallen asleep. The Wheeler children, the Muto children, the Taylor kids and the Kaiba children were also fast asleep. "Aww," she said softly, looking at the sleeping little ones.

Syrus had started dozing off near the end, but quickly snapped awake when Hiro spoke. "I guess you're just a great story-teller, Annie."

Alexis nodded in agreement, stifling a yawn. "I could do with some sleep myself," she muttered.

"I'm sure we all could. It is kind of late," added Tea.

Annie gently gathered her deck back together and as she did, she picked up two cards that had helped her greatly earlier in the day. "Thanks, Usagi..." The girl looked at Zane. "Thanks, Zane."

"No problem, Annie," Zane answered softly.

Everyone had started getting comfortable, and Hiro had left again so that he could get home to Katai. At Annie's words, Syrus remembered something and blinked. "Hey, Jaden..."he called. It appeared that Alexis and her boyfriend were trying their best to get comfortable in two hospital chairs.

"Yeah, Sy? What is it?" the brunette boy asked curiously.

"I was just wondering if you still planned on dueling Violet..." He glanced over at the sleeping girl, who had shifted her head onto Bastion's arm.

"Yeah...Yeah, I am, but it wouldn't have been a fair fight today, you know? It would've been like me challenging you to a duel when Camula had Zane..."

Syrus frowned and nodded in understanding. "All right. Hey, Annie, maybe seeing the duel will make you feel better."

Annie nodded, smiling. "It'll be fun and Violet will have to tell you guys about her deck." She yawned. She was so sleepy.

Syrus yawned as well, wondering if the saying that 'yawning is contagious' was true. "Right, her story. But right now, sleep sounds just fine." He'd decided to sleep with Annie on her bed, since neither he nor she wanted to be separated right now. He had to be careful of her IV, but he climbed onto the bed next to her.

Kisara smiled and grabbed an extra blanket for Syrus. "Sweet dreams," she whispered as the two kids fell asleep. The older duelists stayed up for a bit talking quietly as the teens all fell asleep.

"It's us all over again, isn't it?" Yugi whispered.

Tea nodded. "It's like déjà vu almost. How strange."

Joey blinked. "Déjà what? Speak English, Tea. You know I'm not good with foreign languages."

Serenity giggled. "It means to relive something that's already happened, big brother."

Tristan grinned. "Even your little sister knows more than you! Are you sure you got your diploma like the rest of us??" he joked, given Joey a noogie.

"Oh, quit it, you guys," Kisara whispered.

Seto was trying not to laugh too hard. "Yeah...Syrus reminds me of you, Yugi...and Jaden's kind of like Joey..."

Kisara sighed. "Bastion and Zane remind me of you, honey..." she said softly. "Where are Mokuba and Rebecca? They can take the kids..."

Only seconds after she asked, someone softly knocked on the door. "Oh, that's probably them. Come in, but please be quiet," Tea whispered. The door opened and in came Mokuba and Rebecca all grown up at the age of 23.

"Hey, bro, sis, guys," Mokuba whispered, taking in the sight of the sleeping teenagers and the small kids. He was as tall as his brother now and a bit more muscular. He had finally cut his hair so it was easy to manage. He looked every inch of his almost 24 years and a responsible husband and father. He came over and gave his big sister/surrogate mom a hug.

"Hey, sweetie," Kisara greeted her brother-in-law quietly. "Think you two can handle all of these kids?" she asked, gesturing at all of the little ones.

"No problem. It'll be a piece of cake, Kisara," whispered Rebecca. She had grown taller, only half a head shorter than her husband. Rebecca's golden blonde hair was in a long ponytail, and she'd grown much more mature. She loved children and often babysat the kids of the group, so was glad to oblige this time around.

"How's the patient?" Mokuba asked softly. By this time, Jaden was sound asleep against Alexis, a blanket over them, Bastion had his arm around Violet and they were wrapped in a blanket. Chazz was sound asleep next to his future big brother and of course, Sy was sleeping softly next to Annie.

Kisara sighed. "I'm worried...I just hope I'm wrong and it's not her heart..."

Rebecca sighed sadly. "Why must it always be kids? They're so young...they shouldn't have to bear such a burden. I remember how scared I was when Grandpa was kidnapped."

"I don't know, Rebecca," Kisara sighed again. "I wish I did...but she's got a good group of friends around her...like we all did when we were that age...They're all Duel Academy students, by the way..."

"Oh, so they go to Seto's academy. How interesting..." Rebecca smiled and walked over to hug her brother-in-law. "Looks like your school's doing more than just teaching kids how to play Duel Monsters, Seto," she whispered.

"Yeah," Seto said softly. His smiles over the past few years had become more frequent. He hugged back. "We're going to stay here tonight. Kisara doesn't want to leave and we don't want to leave either, but the kids can't just stay here..."

Mokuba nodded. "Standard sleepover. We can handle them, bro, and Marty'll be glad to wake up and play with his cousins..." Mokuba spoke of his and Rebecca's three-year-old son, Mokuba Arthur, named in part for Rebecca's grandfather and known as Marty. Little Marty was sound asleep at home under the watchful eye of a maid.

Rebecca sighed. "So much for getting any sleep tonight. But at least we'll have some fun. Well, we'd better get going with the kids before we accidentally wake anyone up," she whispered.

And so the adults began the trek to the limo. Seto's trusted security men, Roland and Bryce, helped and went with the younger Kaiba couple with the big load of kids. "Thanks you guys," Kisara whispered. "We owe you big."

"Big sister, it's no problem," Mokuba said once they were outside.

"Mrs. Kaiba, we're glad to help," Roland said.

"Thank you, Roland, Bryce," Seto said. "You'll get extra pay this month."

"We'll make sure the kids have a great time, don't you worry." Rebecca's eyes grew serious and she frowned. "Kisara, make sure they and you all get some rest, too. You can't run a company, duel, or take care of a family on no sleep. You hear?"

"No problem, Becca. We'll sleep...I don't think Noah, Serena, Jaime and Jenna should wake up. If they do, they'll fall back to sleep. You and Mokuba should manage a few hours tonight. And I want you to." She hugged the younger woman. "Thanks, sis."

"Don't worry about it. You just take care of that young woman as much as you can." Then, they climbed into the limo and drove off, leaving the elder Kaiba couple alone outside of the hospital entrance.

"You okay, babe?" Seto asked softly for what seemed like the hundredth time this day.

In response, she hugged him. "I'll be all right...if I don't sleep tonight, I'll crash in the morning..."

"Kisara..." Seto said in his "I don't like you working so hard" tone which she recognized all too well.

"Honey, I have to keep track of her vitals..."

"You're going to stay up all night, aren't you?" he asked as they walked back in, vitalized by the fresh scent of the rain-soaked earth.

"Yup."

"How you do that without drinking anything with caffeine in it, I will never figure out..."

"Willpower, darling, willpower..."

They quietly reentered the room where the other adults were still awake. "The kids okay?" Mai asked.

Kisara nodded. "They're fine; nobody woke up and Mokuba and Rebecca have it all handled."

Tea stifled a yawn, rubbing the weariness from her eyes. Serenity was already dozing off on Tristan's shoulder, and he didn't appear to be much better. Joey was wide awake, though he appeared to be getting tired from all of the food he'd eaten.

Yugi whispered, "Honey, go to sleep, it's all right. The kids are with Mokuba and Rebecca..."

Mai yawned. "I'm probably going to drop in a few minutes, myself. Kisara, are you..?"

"I'm okay...I have to watch Annie's vitals...if it is cardiac related, I'll know..."

Seto settled himself in his chair, used to falling asleep in chairs, a bad habit he'd gotten into as a teen.

"Well, all right. I guess it couldn't hurt to...rest my eyes for a bit..." mumbled Tea. Soon, she was asleep along with Serenity and Tristan, Joey himself starting to nod off a little.

"It's pretty hard to...stay awake in a room full of...sleeping people," he said through a yawn.

Mai laid her head on Joey's shoulder. "It's okay, hon...remember Duelist Kingdom?" she asked softly.

"Heh, how could I forget? That's where I...met you, Mai," he replied, eyes closed.

"Best few days of my life...at that point," she whispered, nodding off. And soon all in the room were asleep; all, that is, except for Kisara.

_So the older group is seeing themselves in the younger ones. And that is where we end the chapter. And so, tune in next time! Until then, read and review; we appreciate it!_


	20. 2 AM Emergency

Chapter XX: 2 AM Emergency

_Greetings GX Summer Love, Summer Fear fans! Thank you for all your reviews so far! For those of you who have been poring over medical textbooks wondering what's really wrong with Annie, this chapter gives you a huge piece of the puzzle. Peach and 15animefreak15 are very impressed that you have taken such interest in a character that you're actually looking over things to find out what's wrong. All will be clear fairly soon._

_Recap: Annie told the story of her deck, Violet had a monster cold and Yugi and the grown up crew saw themselves in the new group of teens. Kisara is staying up all night to monitor Annie. A few hours have passed between the previous chapter and this one._

_**Disclaimer: We own nothing but our OCs and the idea for this tale. All medical information is from websites such as WebMD. **_

It was perhaps a good thing that Kisara stayed that night. For at 2 in the morning, when everyone had had at least four hours of sleep, except for her, Annie's heart rate spiked.

Violet's eyelids twitched a little, a harsh beeping sound shaking herself from her usual nightmare. 'Wha...what's that noise? And why am I so stiff??' she wondered. Violet opened her eyes a crack, recognizing the hospital room and remembering. "An...nie..." she choked out. Violet had meant it to be a yell, but for some reason her vocal chords wouldn't cooperate.

Kisara moved over to Annie's bed, hoping it was only the stress of a dream that had temporarily raised the girl's heart rate, but it wasn't dropping. "Oh, no..." Annie's heart rate, which would normally be around 80 beats per minute, but 60 at complete rest, was at 200 beats per minute and climbing.

Violet didn't know a lot about medicine, but she knew that beeping wasn't good. 'Can't anyone else hear it?? Sy is right next to her!' she thought. Violet sat up stiffly, her throat burning and mind clouded with sleep. She took a moment to try and clear her throat as much as she could, then took a deep breath. "EVERYONE WAKE UP NOW!!" she yelled as loud as she could. Her vocal cords screamed at her and she winced, but it had worked since everyone was now stirring.

Kisara was right at Annie's bedside. "Violet...get everybody out of here...NOW!" the doctor shouted.

Violet nodded, ignoring the pain in her throat and stiffness in her legs. Her eyes widened as she realized that she couldn't talk! 'All right, then I'll use body language!' she thought. Violet yanked anyone still sitting out of their chair, pointing vigorously at the door.

Seto, wide awake now, looked at his wife. "Seto, MOVE!"

The adults moved fast. "You heard Kisara," Seto said.

"But..." Jaden said.

"Let Kisara do her job, Jaden," Yugi said, moving the boy fast. Alexis, Atticus, and the others were out of the room, Violet one of the last to leave. Then, she remembered Syrus who was sleeping beside Annie. He appeared to be groggy and confused at the sudden commotion. So Violet ran over and dragged him out of the bed, half-carrying him out into the hallway.

Annie's were wide open and terrified. "Annie, honey, can you hear me?" Kisara asked. Annie's eyes blinked in terror. "We're going to ride this out together. It'll be all right," Kisara said, praying in her head that it was true. Meanwhile, out in the hall, the teens were looking at each other in confusion.

"Violet, darling, what the devil is going on?" Bastion asked his now-temporarily mute girlfriend.

'Great! I still can't say a thing!! But I had to yell to wake everyone up...' she thought. Out of any other options, Violet pointed at her throat and shrugged.

Alexis frowned. "What? You guys understand what she meant??" she asked, still half-asleep.

Zane had gotten next to Syrus in the confusion and it was a good thing he did. Seto decided to tell them quickly. "Guys, something's happening to Annie...Kisara's taking care of it." By now the kids could hear the heart monitor beeping wildly.

"No..." Bastion whispered, knowing what such alarms meant. Violet frowned, not even wanting to know how Syrus felt if he felt as terrible as she did right now.

Syrus' eyes were wide, and his mind was racing. 'What?? But why?! Why did her condition suddenly change? More importantly...why didn't I notice?? I was right next to her and slept right through it...' he thought, tears coming to his eyes.

Zane sensed it. "Little brother, don't go torturing yourself right now..." He pulled the smaller boy into a tight hug. "Annie needs you to be strong for her right now, do you hear me?"

Syrus thought for a moment, then nodded. Zane was right; he needed to be strong for both of them.

Alexis sighed. "You weren't the only one who slept through it, Syrus. So listen to Zane and don't put the blame on yourself." Violet nodded, eyes half-lidded tiredly. The medication was still in her system, and that little outburst hadn't exactly been easy.

"Sy..." Jaden said. "It'll be okay...Annie's going to be okay...She has to be..."

Syrus sighed and pulled away from Zane. "I know, guys. Don't worry, I'll be strong for Annie. But just a question; who was that that yelled and woke everyone up?" he asked, looking from person to person.

Bastion looked at Violet. "Violet did it...She heard the monitors starting to go..."

Syrus turned to Violet a smiled a little. "Thanks, Violet. Sorry you had to lose your voice just to wake everyone up." Violet smiled and placed a hand on Syrus' shoulder, in an effort to tell him it was okay.

Back in the hospital room, Kisara kept holding Annie's hand as the girl's heart rate kept climbing. "It's up to 250," she whispered. "I have no choice..." She punched the button indicating Code Blue.

"CODE BLUE..." droned a mechanical voice. Suddenly, nurses were racing down the hall with a tray of medications and a portable defibrillator.

"Oh, no," Bastion said softly.

Violet gasped, eyes wide with her hand still on Syrus' shoulder. Syrus was shaking a little with worry, but was trying to stay strong for Annie. 'I have to stay strong...I have to stay strong...' he kept telling himself.

The nurses moved into Annie's room and Kisara instructed the nurses to give her a special heart medication. "Okay, this is going to help you, Annie," Kisara said, filling a syringe and injecting it into Annie's IV line. Within about a minute, Annie's heart rate dropped.

"Thank you," the girl whispered weakly as exhaustion took her back to sleep.

Kisara wiped her brow, put a sedative into the line so Annie would stay asleep and then stepped outside. "She's sleeping...she'll be okay."

Violet grinned happily and hugged Syrus, who was close to crying with joy. "Thank you, Kisara!" he said.

Violet released Syrus and opened her mouth, only to have a squeak come out instead of her own thanks. 'This is worse than the sneezing!' she thought, frowning.

Kisara pulled the two kids close. "It'll be okay, you two...You can all come back in now..."

Syrus was the first inside and immediately went to Annie's bedside, smiling when he saw her asleep. The others walked inside, while Violet poked Kisara on the shoulder to get her attention.

"What is it, sweetie?" Kisara handed the purple-headed girl a notepad. Kisara had a bad tendency to lose her voice and therefore kept a notepad handy for just such a situation.

Violet grinned; finally a way of communication! 'My throat's on fire. Got anything for it? I have a headache, too,' she wrote, then returned the notepad to Kisara.

"Okay, honey..." Kisara said. She got an orderly to bring some gel-coated Tylenol and some more hot tea with lemon and honey. "I'll have you gargle some salt-water in the morning, Violet. Sweetie, that was very helpful, what you did. I needed everyone awake and out of here and you were a big help in doing that." Kisara hugged her suddenly. "You were scared, weren't you, sweetheart?"

Violet frowned and nodded her head; she was scared. Though there was more to it than just that sudden burst in Annie's condition. 'But...I can't tell anyone. I can't, can't, can't. At least...not now,' she thought. A few involuntary tears sprung to her eyes at the memory of the nightmare, and the smile returned to her face after faltering for a few seconds.

"Violet," Kisara said softly, "it's okay to be scared, especially when your friends are in trouble. I'll bet you guys have all faced some bad stuff lately, haven't you? You were missing for awhile, Atticus, right?"

Violet sighed inwardly and sat beside Bastion, staring solemnly at the floor. "Yeah. It's kind of complicated, but...I know Lexi especially missed me," replied Atticus, smiling at his sister.

"And Jaden, I've heard you haven't had it easy, have you?"

Jaden's eyes widened. "You...know about that?"

Kisara nodded. "Well, we found out about the Shadow Riders, the former Superintendent and of course, we all noticed when something went wrong with our duel spirits," she said drily.

"Yeah, the last two years were really weird. So much bad stuff happened," Syrus commented, frowning. He was sitting on the edge of Annie's bed, once more holding her hand.

Alexis nodded in agreement. "Did you guys go through all this when you were our age?" she asked the older duelists curiously.

Yugi nodded. "Those were the best and worst years of my life. I got my best friends and had some very bad things happen."

"But we managed to pull through every challenge by believing in each other," added Tea.

Joey grinned. "Yeah, no one could beat us as long as we were together. And it looks like the same goes for you guys."

"Yeah, but remind me how many times we all almost got killed?" Mai said.

"What?" the teens yelped.

"Is this the time to bring that up, Mai?" Seto asked, a little bit stunned. He didn't want the teens to panic, remembering his own fears and thinking as a father does.

Serenity smiled. "Never mind that. What about all of the good things that happened for all of us? That's more important," she reminded, smiling.

Then an orderly walked into the room, handing Violet the tea and medicine Kisara had ordered before leaving. 'Oh, man. Not this stuff again...well, at least it'll stop my throat from stinging,' she thought warily.

"Thanks, Alex," Kisara said to the orderly. He nodded. "Just drink this down, Violet. And when you go home later today, I want you to rest, okay? Guys...if you kids want to hear about the good and the bad, we'll tell you, but only if you want to hear about the bad..." Violet grimaced, but drank the tea. She made a face at the taste, at the same time appreciating how it soothed her throat.

"Maybe later. Right now, I think we all need more sleep..."replied Alexis.

"Good idea." Everyone got comfortable again. "Syrus?" Kisara said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to have you in a chair, all right? I need you out of that bed...just in case, okay?"

Syrus hesitated for a moment, then nodded understandingly. He reached down to kiss Annie's forehead, before leaving the bed to sit in a chair. Meanwhile, Violet stifled a yawn, having finished the tea and taken the pill. 'Why is it medicine always makes me so tired, anyway? Well, as long as I don't see him again,' she thought, eyes closing.

Bastion pulled Violet against him. "There now, Violet...just rest. You'll do Annie no good sick..."

Jaden, meanwhile, sat next to Alexis. "Man, I'm beat. We'll have to call Hassleberry in the morning..." Chazz sat next to Atticus, lost in thought and Zane moved close to his brother.

"You did good, Sy..." Sy was holding Annie's slack hand looking blank. "Sy? You all right?" Zane coaxed.

Violet smiled contentedly, snuggling into Bastion's chest and quickly drifting off to sleep. Meanwhile, Alexis smiled softly at her own boyfriend. "Don't worry, Jaden. I'm sure everything will turn out okay...it always does." She leaned over to place a gentle kiss on his cheek, resting her head tiredly on his shoulder. Across the room, Atticus placed his arm around Chazz's shoulders comfortingly. He already considered the youngest Princeton to instead be the youngest Rhodes.

Back by Annie's bedside, Syrus turned to send an exhausted smile at his brother. "Yeah, I'm okay...just hoping that Annie'll be all right..."

Kisara smiled, but something in her eyes belied that smile. So she did one thing that came naturally. "Would you kids like a lullaby?" Alexis smiled a little and nodded her head from its spot on Jaden's shoulder. No one else rejected the idea, so it seemed they'd all get to hear Kisara sing. "Okay...does anybody have any preferences? Or things they'd rather I not sing?"

Violet surprised everyone when she shifted a little, and spoke in a harsh, croaky voice. "Sing 'Faith of the Heart...'" she mumbled tiredly.

Syrus immediately nodded. "Yeah, that's the one Annie sang," he clarified.

"You'd like me to sing that one, kids?"

Alexis tilted her head in what seemed like a nod, Atticus following suit. "That's fine with me," stated Joey, yawning.

Serenity smiled. "Go ahead and sing, Kisara. You have such a nice voice..."

"All right then...Is Annie by chance a Star Trek fan?"

Bastion nodded, eyes wide. "How did you..?"

"Seto and I are Trekkers..." Kisara admitted. And so she sang, "It's been a long road...gettin' from there to here..." She sang the entire song and everyone in the room fell fast asleep. She got up and placed blankets on the sleepers. 'I'll help you and your friends somehow, Annie...I promise...' Kisara thought, blue eyes determined.

_So Annie's heart seems to be the cause of the trouble. So she passes out on a regular basis and she has an irregularly fast heart rate. But what's up with Violet? She seems to be hiding something from her friends. Needless to say, our group of teens is in for a bumpy ride yet. Next time, Violet's own secret will be revealed in "Shrinking Violet." Read, review and stay tuned!_


	21. Shrinking Violet

Chapter XXI: Shrinking Violet

_Happy Independence Day (a little bit late) to all the Americans on the board and to everyone else who doesn't celebrate it, a happy day to you! Thank you to the five reviewers this time around and we hope to see more reviews! We're always glad to see you! To those of you who were guessing what was wrong with Annie, you are very close. The actual diagnosis is coming soon so stay tuned. _

_And now, the recap… Annie had another attack where her heart rate jumped to 280 beats per minute at its peak. Violet awoke the group, helping Kisara clear the room so she could do her job. The entire group was shaken, but none more than Sy and Violet. And Violet seemed to be fighting off something. What is it? Well, please read to find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They just own this idea and their OCs, as well as their interpretation of how certain characters might react when presented with a girlfriend's trauma. We understand this may be interpreted as OOC. Medical consultation and psychological trauma information come from various sites on the Internet. **_

_**Warning: This chapter deals with the aftermath of dating assault and battery. This may be an uncomfortable subject for some of you, and if you have experienced it, please tell someone and get help.**_

_**Author's note: There are references to Peach Wookiee's tale, "Whisper," which you might choose to check out. This chapter is also called "Shrinking Violet" because it refers to how our tough girl shrinks inside when she thinks about that ex.**_

The group of teens and adults slept another 6 hours in the hospital room. At nine AM, sunlight came through the curtains, awakening the inhabitants of the sterile white room. Syrus yawned, opening his eyes a little only to quickly shut them again. "So bright..." he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 'Oh! Where are my glasses??' he thought worriedly.

Zane had awakened a few minutes earlier and handed his brother his glasses. "Here you go, Sy. Morning. Did you sleep okay?"

Syrus sighed in relief, putting on the glasses and smiling up at his brother. "Yeah, though I'm a little stiff. Sleeping in a chair's harder than it looks, I guess."

The others were stirring now, Alexis sitting up. "Ow...my neck's all sore. That's the last time I sleep in a chair, if I can help it," she groaned.

"Sorry, guys," Kisara said. "I know it's not pleasant." Annie was still sleeping. "She sleeps pretty soundly," the young doctor remarked, "and I think she should stay that way. Hey, Violet, how are you feeling?"

Violet hadn't woken up yet, her closed eyes clenched tightly. Her body shimmered with sweat, though she was shivering. She groaned, fists clenching and unclenching.

Kisara moved over to the girl quickly. "Violet...sweetie?" She laid a hand on the girl's forehead. "She's warm..."

Violet grimaced, biting her bottom lip. 'Go away, go away! Leave me alone!!' she yelled at her nightmare. Back in reality, she kept clenching her fists as if getting ready for a fight. "Go away...leave me alone..." she moaned quietly.

Alexis had walked over to stand beside Kisara. "What's wrong? Is it her cold??"

"Violet!" Kisara called, taking hold of the girl's shoulder. "Bastion, talk to her. I have to get a thermometer and somehow get her awake..."

"Violet, darling...it's all right...no one's going to hurt you...I'm here to keep you safe..." Bastion said in a calm, clear voice.

Violet flinched when Kisara grabbed her shoulder, eyes brimming with tears that threatened to fall until Bastion spoke. She stopped shivering, though her eyes still showed fear through their closed lids. "H-Help...Bastion..." she whimpered, reaching for him.

"Open your eyes, darling. I'm right here. I'm going to help you as best I can, Violet... Please open your eyes, darling..."

Meanwhile, Kisara grabbed an ear thermometer and came close. "Keep talking to her, Bastion. If you can get her to open her eyes, then this will be easier. I don't want her to be scared..."

Violet let out a heavy sigh as the nightmare faded, collapsing against Bastion in sheer exhaustion. Her eyes opened just a little, breathing shallow from her cold and the frightening dream. "Bastion...I..."she whispered, then started crying. Her cold fingers clung to him for support, sobs running through her.

Bastion pulled her close. "Shhh... Violet, darling, it's all right...I'm here. Let Kisara take your temperature. It's all right." He rubbed her back tenderly. "I'm right here...it was just a bad dream, darling..."

Violet shook her head. "No, it wasn't. It...it really happened, Bastion. And it won't leave me alone!" she whispered, still shaking with silent sobs. She was trying to stop so that Kisara could do what she needed, but it was hard and Violet's body wasn't cooperating again.

"It's all right, honey..." Kisara said. "Just stay holding onto Bastion. I just have to stick this in your ear for a second..."

Violet did as she was told, tears still streaming down her cheeks as Kisara took her temperature. Her face was flushed a little, and she now felt light-headed. 'Why did it have to happen here? Now they're all worried about me...' she thought sadly.

"It's okay, Violet..." Jaden said, coming close. "We're all upset... and you're her best friend..."

"Yeah," Chazz added. "No shame in that..."

"Violet," Bastion asked as Kisara checked the readings, "what happened to you? Please tell me..."

Violet took a moment to regain her breath, using the pause to think. 'Should I? I can't...no one knows, I...but they're my friends. They deserve to know. They haven't kept secrets from me...' she thought. "A-All right. But, Bastion, promise me something."

"Anything, darling," he answered, meeting her frightened green eyes with compassionate gray ones.

"P-Promise me, that no matter what, you won't hurt anyone. I know it'll make you upset, but I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me..."

"Who would I hurt?" he asked, puzzled. The other kids looked worried. Kisara looked quietly at the girl, resolving to call a counselor, if necessary.

Violet sighed, staring at her hands. "This is the first time I've ever told this to anyone besides my parents, so it might be hard," she warned, taking a deep breath.

--Flashback, over 2 years previously—Thirteen-year-old Violet stepped in front of Mike as he left the locker room, tear stains still on her face. "Violet? What are you..?" he asked, looking confused.

"Mike...why? I saw you earlier, with Triana. I saw how you...why, Mike?! Just tell me why!" she interrupted, fresh tears falling.

Mike's expressions hardened. "You saw that?" he asked, answering her question with one of his own. He'd also taken a step forward, though she was too distraught to notice.

"Yes, I saw! Now answer my question!! Why would you ruin our relationship like that?! Why would you disregard US??" Her voice had risen to frantic shouting and she was desperate for an answer.

Then a snap like thunder could be heard as the back of his hand came into harsh contact with her cheek. The force of the back-handed slap sent her falling to the ground, eyes wide in pure shock. "Don't tell me you're so blind, Violet! Couldn't you see? I never loved you. You were a stepping stone to reach Triana! Why would anyone ever love a crazy freak like you?! I was going to tell you this tomorrow, but I might as well say it now. There never was an 'us', Violet. You'll never be with anyone. Even though we never were anything, I'll say 'we're over'. See you..." He walked right past her, leaving her alone in the hallway.

Silent tears poured down her cheeks, a red mark clearly visible on one side of her face. "There never was an 'us'" kept ringing through her head, every time feeling like a piece of her heart was being torn out. "Why? Am I really so weird that I can't even trust anyone to really love me or be my friend anymore?" she whispered, heart shattered to innumerable pieces. –End Flashback—

Violet had started crying when she reached Mike's little speech, and was now shaking a little with quiet sobs.

Bastion held her tightly to him. And perhaps it was a good thing that the mysterious Mike lived all the way in Ohio, because if looks and thoughts could kill, Mike would be dead right now. "That...Darling...I need to step out for a moment..."

"Um...Bastion? Why?" Jaden asked, fearful of his friend's expression.

"I need to avoid doing something in here. I will be right back...I promise..." Bastion

stepped out of the room, headed down the hall, out the main entrance and into what the Domino Children's doctors referred to as "the swear field." And then, he let loose with a string of loud profanities. Somehow, despite the distance between the field and the hospital room, the group heard it.

"That is the loudest string of profanities I have ever heard..." Mai observed.

"What are profanities?" Jaden asked.

Violet was sitting cross-legged on the chair, crying softly into her hands. That had been painful to tell; she could almost feel the sting of Mike's hand on her cheek. She glanced over when someone sat in the chair next to her, surprised to see Syrus instead of Bastion. "Violet, I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do. No one should have to hear that or be hit..." He reached over and hugged her like he had the day before in the waiting room. 'It's like when I felt worthless, before I met Jaden and made real friends...' he thought sadly.

"Uh...Jaden...profanities are swearwords..." Kisara explained, looking stunned.

"Oh...In that case, Bastion's using a lot of them...I've never seen or heard him be that mad before...Violet, he does love you, and that Mike guy's lucky he's not here...I'd probably help Bastion punch his lights out!" Jaden growled.

"Us, too," Chazz, Atticus and Zane added. The adult men in the group also nodded, looking different degrees of enraged.

Violet sniffed a little, mind racing. 'I thought they wouldn't understand. I thought they might...agree with him. How could I think that? These guys are my friends. It felt like a relief to tell them,' she thought. "Guys...thank you. I...I don't know what to say. I just hope Bastion doesn't let his emotions take control when we fly to Cleveland."

It was at this moment that Bastion returned to the room. "Violet, I'm sorry. I just didn't wish to...well, Kisara, I didn't wish to curse in front of your young patients. Terribly sorry... Violet..." He wordlessly drew her to him in a tight hug. He held her tightly for one long moment, letting her know that she was loved.

Mai smiled at the scene, remembering twelve years previously when she had returned to Joey's arms after Yugi had tried to kill himself. "You remember when I came back?" she whispered to Joey.

Joey nodded, some anger still coursing through his veins. This "Mike" guy was lower than any villain they'd ever encountered, even Dartz and his dirty tricks. "I remember, Mai. I was so glad that you did..." he whispered, anger ebbing away at the bittersweet memory.

"That just looks like what everybody saw in the hall," she whispered back, as he put his arm around her.

Bastion swallowed and took a deep breath. "Violet...you are not weird. You are the most amazing young woman I have ever met, and I love you...I love you for you, and I wouldn't have you any other way than you are...You're caring, you are a joy and..." Out of words at the moment, he pulled her into a passionate kiss full on the lips. The taste of her lips blended with their mingled tears.

The kiss surprised Violet, and in any other circumstance she would have pulled away for fear of getting him sick. However, this time she really needed it, and allowed their lips to remain in the embrace. 'This is real love. I don't care what Mike said, someone does love me, and more care about me. I'm not going to believe what he says any longer!' she thought. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, even though her heart still hurt. But now she knew that Bastion would help her put the pieces back together.

Bastion finally broke the kiss. "I ran out of words. Darling..."

Violet wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her arm and smiled. "That's all right. The kiss spoke for you, though I don't think it helped my cold. And now you're going to get sick," she teased softly. Her eyes were half-lidded from exhaustion, cheeks still tinted pink from the light fever everyone seemed to have forgotten about.

Kisara sighed. "Talk about a replay...Just like you two," she said, looking at Yugi and Tea. "Bastion, is Violet staying at your house?"

"Yes...why?"

"Violet, you need to go home and get some rest. Bastion, make sure she drinks plenty of fluids and give her this medicine every four to six hours. And I suggest you drink plenty of fluids, such as orange juice..."

Violet pouted. "I'm not tired at all. I just woke up," she said through a yawn.

Syrus laughed a little. "Don't worry, you guys; we'll call if anything happens. All right?"

"All right," Bastion answered. "Violet, darling, I think Kisara means that you've been under stress and that doesn't help you get better. Kisara, is there anything else you might recommend?"

Kisara thought quickly. "Stop by the drugstore and get some eucalyptus bath salts. Violet, take a hot bath with those salts in the water and those will help you relax, okay?"

Violet sighed. "All right. I surrender." She started to stand, but was only on her feet for a few seconds before she fell back into the chair. "Uh...problem, heh," she stated, sweat-dropping.

"Violet?" Kisara moved quickly, checking her pulse. "Okay, everyone else has been grazing, but you haven't eaten a thing... Let's get some food in you...or at least a glass of milk..."

"Right. Food. Sounds good," she replied, smiling.

Syrus blinked. "Uh..."

Alexis sighed. "She must be light-headed. Not surprised seeing what she just went through."

"Yeah... not eating combined with emotional upset...very bad," Kisara commented. "Seto, run down to the cafeteria and get some milk and a piece of toast." Seto nodded, heading down quickly. "Joey, I remember..." Kisara started cracking up.

Joey frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh, don't start on that again." Some of the older duelists were laughing a little.

"What? What happened??" asked Syrus curiously.

"Well..." Kisara grinned, and then told the story of Seto and Joey, patching up their rivalry completely over a blood donation. "They were so punch-drunk; they finally patched up their rivalry," she concluded.

Everyone in the room was laughing to some degree, which left Seto confused as he returned. "Punch-drunk...ha ha, funny..." giggled Violet. Joey couldn't help but grin at the memory, and even let out a sheepish laugh.

"I told them about the blood incident, honey..." Kisara explained as she handed Violet the glass of milk while Bastion held the toast.

"You didn't play the file, did you?" Seto asked, looking at Tea suspiciously.

Tea had just started digging through her purse for the mp3 recorder when Seto spoke. She sweat-dropped and set her purse on the ground, shaking her head 'no'. Meanwhile, Violet took a few breaths to calm down, before eating the light breakfast.

"Eat slowly, Violet," Bastion cautioned, knowing Violet's tendency to eat too quickly.

"Violet?" Jaden said. "We can duel when you're up to it. Besides, you'll probably want Annie to see, right?"

Violet nodded, toast still hanging from her mouth. She quickly swallowed the bite she'd taken, grinning. "Yup! Alien power!!" she cheered, before returning to her breakfast.

Syrus blinked. "Alien power? Does she mean her Watapon??"

"An alien deck?" Jaden asked, eyes wide, realizing what deck she might have. "My Neo-Spacians would love to meet them!"

"Hey...who told you I had an alien deck?" asked Violet, pouting.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Uh...lucky guess??" she offered.

"Yeah, it was the way you talked! It sounds like you have an alien deck! Sweet!" Jaden said happily. "I'll have to watch out for you, since Annie beat Zane!"

"Yep! She kicked his butt to Pluto and back!!" yelled Violet, popping the last bit of toast into her mouth.

Syrus laughed. "Annie beat him with one move that took out all of his life points," he explained.

"Wow...what was the card combo?" Mai asked. "It was a combo, right?"

"Yes," Bastion explained. "She used Usagi, Angelic Guardian of the Moon combined with a spell card, Moon Astral Cleansing Activation, I believe...She had to use all but one of her life-points to do it. It was amazing to watch..."

"Whoa, wish I could have seen that. Sounds like an awesome move!" stated Joey.

"All done! I'm as energetic as a kitten, now!!" Violet shouted. She jumped to her feet, grinning happily for a moment before falling back into her chair. "Whoops, guess not. My bad."

"It's all right," Bastion said. "I can hail a taxi and get us to the chemist and get what you need and then get you home..."

"I'll do you better than that, Bastion," Seto said. "You can take a limo..."

Violet's eyes widened. "I haven't been in a limo since my cousin's wedding! Coolio!!"

Syrus smiled. 'He's helped us so much, and so has Kisara. We'll have to repay them somehow,' he thought.

"Syrus?" Kisara asked. "Honey, are you feeling all right?"

He blinked in surprise. "Yeah. Why? Do I look sick??" he asked worriedly. She was a doctor, after all.

"You look a bit tired, sweetie. And I know your mother will worry," Kisara said. "You didn't get enough sleep last night..."

"I'm fine, Kisara. I want to be awake when Annie gets up," he replied, glancing over at his girlfriend.

"I figured you'd say that, honey, so I'm getting a lounger brought in. I talked to your mother a little bit ago and she's having a lounger sent down from the maternity ward. You won't do Annie any good if you're too tired, angel."

Syrus sighed. "All right. I'll try to get some rest..."

Meanwhile, Violet yawned, running a hand through her messy hair. 'I don't know whether I should take a nap or a bath first!' she thought, frowning.

"Violet darling, do you think you can walk to the car?" Bastion asked.

"Uh..." She stood up again and took a step forward, but only ended up falling onto Bastion's lap. "I think that's a 'no,'" she replied, sweat-dropping.

"All right, up you go then," Bastion said, pulling her into his arms like a groom carries a bride.

"Eep. Warn me before you do that!" Violet's arms were wrapped tightly around Bastion's neck, head resting tiredly on his chest.

"You just get better, Violet. The sooner you do, the sooner you can come back and see Annie," Alexis stated.

"Just hold onto me..." Bastion soothed as he carried her out of the room. "We'll be back soon, everyone. Keep us posted, won't you?" he requested.

"Sure, Bastion," Jaden said, yawning. "I don't think we'll be out playing today, guys..."

"Nah," Chazz said, also sleepy. "I think we need to go crash..."

"It wouldn't be any fun without Violet, Bastion, and Annie, anyway," added Atticus. He was still sitting in a chair, sending them a tired but ever-enthusiastic grin.

Meanwhile, Violet may have been tired, but she caught the look one of the passing patients gave Bastion. Her gaze turned deadly, and the woman quickly walked away when she heard a low growl. "My Bastion; mine," muttered Violet rubbing her head against his chest affectionately.

"You're jealous," the gray-eyed muscular teen genius said as he made way to the limousine.

"I'm not going to let the past repeat itself, Bastion-baby. If those girls even come near you for what I think they want, they'll regret it," Violet explained as they climbed in, she placed a quick kiss on his lips to emphasize her point.

Meanwhile, Kisara looked at the other kids. "I think it's a good idea if you all go home and rest. Alexis, Atticus and Chazz, we'll be in contact with Jack shortly. I have plans for Slade as well, Chazz..."

Alexis and Atticus were surprised. "What do you mean, Kisara? What can you do??" Alexis asked curiously.

Kisara's eyes were glittering with mischief. "I have connections to both the Republican and Democratic parties. I'll make sure he can't switch...his political career is over..."

Atticus grinned and slapped Chazz on the back. "You see? Everything will go great, bro! Our dad can make sure Jagger's financial career's out the door, too."

"Leave that to me," Seto said with the hint of a smile on his face. "That way I can protect your father..."

Chazz looked at the Kaiba Corp CEO and his wife in surprise. "You'd protect him?"

"Of course," Seto said.

"I told you that no one liked your brothers, Chazz. They're evil and everything they did is going to come back to haunt them in the worst of ways," Alexis stated reassuringly.

"I'm guessing your advice to go home and get some rest was more like a doctor's order, huh?" added Atticus.

"You bet, Atticus," Kisara said. "I'm taking my own orders to heart, too...I'll head back home for a little bit myself, get a shower and sleep. I'll come back here this afternoon after a good nap. Guys...you too," she said, looking at her friends and the teens.

"Don't worry, guys. I'll be fine by myself, because I won't really be alone. I'll still have Annie," Syrus reassured them smiling.

Alexis sighed. "All right. Atty, Chazz, you don't mind walking home, right? It's not that far..."

Seto said, "There's a limo ride, if you kids would like..."

"Oh no, we couldn't! I mean, you've already done so much for all of us..." Alexis said, shocked.

"Don't think anything of it," Kisara said. "We all do this for our kids...C'mon...the sooner you kids get home, the better you'll feel."

Seto added, "It's all right, all of you...Go ahead...it's no problem and no big deal."

"Well, all right. Thanks for everything you guys. Things might not have turned out so well if we hadn't run into you," Alexis said.

Kisara sighed. "I'm just glad I'm able to help."

Jaden had dozed off in his chair. "Come back here, you dueling marshmallow," he muttered.

Alexis sighed and walked over to shake Jaden's shoulder. "Jaden, come on. You can sleep as long as you want when we get you back home," she coaxed softly.

"Huh? What? Lex, I was dueling that marshmallow again," Jaden said confused as he woke up again.

Mai started to laugh. "Joey, didn't you duel a doughnut once in a dream?"

"And that pizza slice," Yugi added.

Joey frowned. "Hey, I can't help it, I was hungry!"

Tea rolled her eyes. "Aren't you always?"

Alexis snickered and helped Jaden out of his chair. "Come on, Jay. You can pick up your duel with that marshmallow when you get home. Okay?"

"Okay," he said around a yawn. "Yugi? Thanks for hanging here..."

"No problem, Jaden. We were just glad to be here to help..."

"C'mon, you guys," Kisara coaxed. The adults led the teens to the limo. "You kids get some rest and I'll be back here to check on Annie, okay?"

"All right. Make sure Sy is okay, too. We don't need him in a hospital bed," Alexis requested warily. They all climbed into the limo.

"Bye, kids!" As soon as the limo left, Kisara sighed heavily.

"Babe, what is it?" Seto asked. The others looked at her.

"I need to page Darla, Scout, Jayda and Hiro...Annie's in trouble..."

"What do you mean, Kisara?"asked Tea worriedly. She understood why the doctor had waited until the teens left when she saw her friend's eyes.

"The way her heart rate jumped like it did, Tea...it's her heart..."

_Yeah, it's a cliffhanger, sort of. Annie definitely has something wrong with her heart. Violet, meanwhile, has revealed her inner demons and the other kids are going home to crash. So what will happen next time? Read and review and stay tuned to find out! See you next time!_


	22. Respite

Chapter XXII: Respite

_Hello, again, everyone! We hope that those of you who left for a brief holiday made it back safely and had a good time! And so, welcome to another chapter of Summer Love, Summer Fears. Wow! We are so blessed and happy with all of these wonderful reviews! _

_Last time, Violet finally told all of her friends about her ex-boyfriend, Mike and had a nasty cold. Kisara instructed the teens to go home and get some rest and then revealed to her friends that Annie might be in serious trouble. So what is in store for our teens? Read and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They own Annie, Violet and Rosa as well as their interpretations and their ideas.**_

As Kisara broke the news that Annie Hanson might just be in the fight of her life, the teen girl's friends made their way home to rest. Bastion and Violet rode to the nearest drugstore and the big boy ran in to pick up the eucalyptus bath salts. 'Blast, where are they?' he thought. Finally, he found them not too far from the feminine care products. 'Yes...' he thought as he headed to the cashier and paid for what he needed. "Got it, Violet!" he said as he hopped back into the limo. Violet, however, had dozed off in the back of the limo, not even waking up when Bastion returned.

It didn't take long before their limo finally arrived at the Misawa residence. At the Misawas, Bastion thanked the limo driver politely and got Violet out of the car. He knew his parents weren't home and knew precisely where the spare key was and got it. "All right, Violet, let's just get you inside and into bed. I'll warm you up some soup when you wake up...Pity Mum isn't home," he said.

"Sleep and soup both start with an 's,' Bastion-baby," Violet stated matter-of-factly, giggling. Apparently, she was still light-headed and punch-drunk in her actions. At the moment she was running her finger up and down the top of Bastion's hair.

"Darling...I'm glad you're awake," he said, "but...could you please quit that? I don't want to drop you..." He was just turning to head up the stairs. "I think I'll put you in the guest room so you can rest..."

"Hey, Bastion-baby, did you know you have a flat head?" she asked simply as he laid her on the bed. "No, really. The top of your hair is all smooth and stuff."

"That's...jolly good," he said, bewildered. "I can balance textbooks, then...After you've rested a bit, I'll draw a bath for you. You heard Kisara..."

"Jolly...ha ha, like the candy? I like that kind...oh! It's Tiffles, yay..." Violet hugged the ball of fluff to her body, snuggling down into the pillow. "Hee hee, so soft...like a marshmallow..." she mumbled, eyes closed.

Bastion covered her up with the warm down comforter and kissed her cheek. "Just sleep, love..."

He tiptoed out of the room and headed down to the gym. He might be tired, but at this moment, he needed to let out some anger. 'That...monstrosity who mistreated and hit her...He had better not try it again...or I won't be held responsible for what happens next...'

He had a huge hanging sand bag and started punching and kicking, imagining the monstrous Mike at his mercy. 'You creep! How could you hurt her like you did, much less lay a hand on her?!' Finally, he was all sweaty. 'I believe I'll take that shower now...' he decided. He went to the shower, scrubbed off quickly and then back to his bedroom to change into a fresh set of boxers and a simple sleeveless undershirt. He climbed into his bed, and promptly fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Zane Truesdale was the first of the group of kids in the other limo to be dropped off at home. "See you later, guys," he said over his shoulder as he headed to the door.

"Bye, Zane. Make sure to get some rest!" Alexis called as the limo drove off. The house looked pretty empty with no one home... Zane yawned and gave his friends a thumbs-up.

"Atticus, keep an eye on those three!" he countered. He opened the door and headed inside.

'I should probably call Dad and let him know I'm home...' Zane thought. He padded over to the phone and dialed his father's office. "Hey, Dad," he said when he finally got through.

"Hey, Zane, did your brother come home with you?" Will asked.

"No, he's staying with Annie. Something happened last night and he doesn't want to leave her."

"That's all right, Zane. If your mother decides he needs to come home, she'll drag him. You okay, kiddo?"

"Yeah...tired though..."

"Well, get yourself cleaned up and get some food and some rest, okay?"

"Thanks, Dad..." Zane said. "Love you..."

"Love you too, kid..."

They hung up and Zane headed upstairs. He glanced in his brother's bedroom and saw the little Drillroid stuffed toy on his bed. 'I hope they're all right,' he thought. He headed into the bathroom, got a shower and then headed back to his room and got into bed and dozed off.

Finally, the limo pulled up to the Rhodes' residence, the last four teens deciding to stick together. They all climbed out and thanked the driver, who then drove away. "Thanks for 

keeping me here, guys," Jaden said around a yawn. "Man...I'm tired...worse than when Bastion had us stay up studying for midterms..."

"You actually studied for midterms?" Chazz asked around his own yawn. "Hey, I did pass..."

Alexis giggled. "Oh well. Who cares about school? Right now it's vacation, and I for one am ready for a nap."

Atticus nodded. "Yeah, my bed's sounding pretty nice right about now..." he yawned.

"I need a shower," Chazz groaned.

"Me, too," Jaden said. "Then...I'm dueling that marshmallow again...or maybe that fried shrimp that I dueled a few nights ago...I like eating it!"

Alexis sighed. "Oh, Jaden, can't you keep your mind off of your stomach for once?"

"Hey, guys!" Atticus called from the open front doorway. "We going to take those showers and naps, or stand out here yawning all day?"

"Oh, sorry, bro," Chazz said. "Move it, Slacker..." he said, shoving Jaden in a friendly way.

"I'm going..." Jaden yawned. "Who goes first?"

"Well, I'm going straight to bed. Good night," called Alexis. She climbed up the stairs and went into her room to change.

Atticus stifled another yawn. "Hey, I agree with Lexi. Just don't get in a duel over who takes the first shower...you might wake us up. And trust me," he grinned, "you won't like a woken-up Lexi who hasn't gotten all of her precious 'beauty sleep'." He then followed his sister upstairs, going into his own room.

"Um, bro?" Chazz called after him. "Where do I crash?"

"Atticus, same question!" Jaden called.

Atticus opened his door and poked his head out. "Oh yeah, forgot about that. Jay, you could probably crash with Lexi. Bro, uh...well, you either share my bed or the couch. Whichever floats your boat!" he called down before shutting the door.

"Um...Chazz?" Jaden was blushing. "You take that shower first...I have to think..." Jaden said.

"Okay, Jaden, I'm crashing with Atticus...Have fun..." Chazz said, grinning and giving him a thumbs-up.

'Oh, crap...' Jaden thought after Chazz headed for the shower. 'What now?! Stupid Atticus...We're engaged, but...I'M SLEEPING IN THE SAME ROOM!' Suddenly, Jaden sensed a familiar presence.

"Hello, Jaden..."

"Hey, Aquos," he said to the creature who looked like a cross between a man and a dolphin and sounded somewhat like Bastion Misawa.

"What seems to be the trouble?" the Neo-Spacian asked curiously.

"I have to sleep in the same room with Alexis...I'm kind of nervous..."

"Are you planning anything?" the creature asked.

"Uh...no!" Jaden answered, red-faced.

"Then what's your problem? Just go and sleep..."

"Okay...thanks, Aquos..." Jaden headed to his duffel bag and grabbed a clean pair of pajamas and underwear. He headed upstairs and got in the shower which Chazz had just vacated and got clean. The hot water relaxed his muscles which were pretty tense after the long night sleeping in the hard hospital chair. It didn't take long to scrub off and feel better. He got out of the shower, toweled himself off and began getting dressed in sleepwear.

Chazz, meanwhile, was all clean and in his dark grey cotton shorty pajamas and got into bed with Atticus. 'This isn't so bad,' he thought as he lay down next to the older teen, feeling very safe. He fell asleep quickly.

Jaden got his Avian pajamas on and headed into Alexis's room. "Lex?" he whispered.

Alexis had just started to drift off when Jaden spoke. "Mmhmm...What is it, Jay?" she asked through a yawn.

"Um...is it okay if I sleep in here with you? I mean..." He was fire-red by this point, nearly matching the background color of his pajamas.

Alexis rolled over onto her other side so that she now faced him. 'He looks so cute...'she thought, smiling. "Of course, Jaden. I mean, it's not like you had anything planned..."replied Alexis, raising an eyebrow.

"No..." Jaden said, blushing. "I asked Atticus where I could sleep and he said with you..." He flushed further. "I mean...I could sleep on the couch..."

Alexis giggled. "It's fine, Jaden. Don't worry, I trust you..." She patted the empty half of her bed to emphasize her point.

"Um...okay...I mean, if you're okay," Jaden said, swallowing nervously. He lay down next to Alexis and they covered up under her pale blue sheets.

Alexis smiled and wrapped her arms around Jaden, snuggling against his chest. "Besides, this is better than any pillow..."she mumbled, yawning.

'Oh, man...this is almost sweeter than dueling,' Jaden thought. He had to admit to himself that cuddling with Alexis was pretty nice as he started falling asleep. "Sweet dreams, Lex..." Finally all of the teens were asleep and dreaming after the nightmare of a night they'd had. And they hoped for better news when they awakened.

_And so this chapter is relatively uneventful but hopefully entertaining. Bastion is still…well, reacting rather differently than we've seen him. And Jaden likes sleeping in the same bed with Alexis though he was a bit nervous at the prospect initially. But everyone is getting some rest. Next time, Kisara makes contact with Annie's parents to let them know what's going on. So read, review and stay tuned! We thank you in advance!_


	23. Contact

Chapter XXIII: Contact

_Hello again from authors Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15! We thank all of you who reviewed and welcome any new readers to this tale. We're very awed you've stayed with us through what's rather dramatic at the moment and we're glad you still seem to enjoy it. Anyway, we're glad to continue and hope you like where it's going._

_Last time, the teenagers went home to rest and recover, Bastion raged, and Jaden was nervous about sleeping in the same bed with Alexis. So what will happen now? Read and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They gratefully acknowledge medical websites such as WebMD, Medicine Net, and the Mayo Clinic site as they wish to be medically accurate.**_

_Authors' note: Tachycardia is a form of rapid heartbeat that can be dangerous._

As the Duel Academy kids each headed home and drifted off to Dreamland where kids could duel marshmallows, Kisara Kaiba made her friends aware that Annie Hanson was probably fighting for her life. "It's her heart." Kisara's face showed the strain of the long night. And now, the added strain of what was to come shone plainly. "This could be life-threatening. I have to tell Sy's mother before he knows..." And then she rubbed her temples. "Seto, I'll need Alex Hanson's home and office number...I have to talk with the family directly..."

"Babe...can't it wait? You're exhausted..." Seto asked, but his wife shook her head.

"I have to tell them...Get the numbers..."

Tea's eyes were wide. "You don't really think she might die, do you, Kisara?" she asked fearfully.

"That's what's scaring me. I'm not sure since I'm not in cardiology but I have my suspicions. It may be manageable by medication, but if it gets worse, it could kill her," Kisara groaned softly.

"Those poor kids. Kisara, if they hear about this..." began Joey worriedly. They'd all be devastated, especially Violet and Syrus. Syrus was already exhausted, and Violet was in-between sickness and stress. Things could turn a little ugly if they knew.

"Joey, hon...they have to know..." Mai countered. "You wouldn't have liked being kept in the dark at Battle City when..."

"Right," replied Joey, frowning and remembering Mai lying in that bed, unconscious. Even twelve years later and with her at his side, it was a very strong and dark memory.

Serenity's expression mirrored his. "I just hope...they won't take it too hard. It would be terrible if any of them got sick or worse," she stated sadly.

Yugi sighed. "We worried about you, Serenity...back then...When Joey and Mai were both down...Kisara..."

"I heard about it...They'll find out and if something happened and they didn't know, I think it would be a heck of a lot worse but I'm talking to their parents first. That should give Violet some time, and I'll let Darla help with telling Sy...He won't leave Annie's side; considering the tests she's going to have to have, she'll need him and he'll be the best medicine for her," Kisara responded.

"Right. Let's just hope nothing else happens," stated Joey.

"Hey, are you trying to jinx them?" asked Tristan, placing Joey in a headlock and laughing slightly.

Kisara took a deep breath. "Guys...stay close for a bit and pray...This is tough..." She sighed, walking down the hallway of the hospital to have four of her fellow doctors paged.

"Hang in there, babe," Seto whispered.

Yugi sighed. "How does she do this, Seto?"

"She just does it," the taller man answered, a bit concerned.

"She's really strong. Just like you, Seto," stated Tea, smiling. Serenity nodded in agreement.

Joey grinned. "Yeah! You two are perfect for each other!! Did you see the look on her face when she mentioned Slade? I swear you two are a pair of sly foxes..."

"Remember how she was when we met?" Seto asked. "I think I made her that way," he groaned softly.

"Nope," Yugi said, "she had that in her all along...you saw how she clobbered that paparazzo that got too close to me, didn't you?" Tea and the others sweat-dropped at the memory; it had certainly been a rare sight to see.

"Remind me to never get her angry," stated Joey, grimacing.

"That's what you said the last five times she scared you, Joey..." replied Tristan bluntly.

Mai sighed, laughing. "She reminds me of you two sometimes, especially when she's in protector mode."

"Hey, Yugi can fight, too," Tea defended curtly.

"Yeah, we know, Tea. He protected Tristan and me back in high school, remember?" Joey reminded her.

"And may I remind you that was pre-Yami," Yugi said and sighed. He still missed the Pharaoh. "But somehow, I don't think Kisara ever got shoved in a locker."

"Shoved in a locker?" Seto asked, puzzled. "What idiot shoved you in a locker?"

"Well, among other people," Yugi began, "somebody who became my best friend..."

Joey sweat-dropped and grinned sheepishly. "Hey, hey, hey. I saw the error of my ways, didn't I? And said I was sorry," he said, holding up his hands in a surrendering posture.

"Hey, Joey wasn't the only one. We both learned we were being real jerks and became Yugi's friends instead," added Tristan.

"Yeah..." Yugi grinned. "Thanks guys. Let's go sit in the waiting room, then after Kisara's done, I think we'll need to relieve Mokuba and Rebecca..."

"I hope Jo-Jo didn't try something with the DVD player again," Mai wondered out loud.

Tea sweat-dropped. "I agree with you there, Mai. We don't need a repeat of that incident..." So, everyone went back inside to rest in the waiting room.

Kisara, meanwhile, walked slowly down the hall and then froze. 'What do I do now?'

Her friends, sticking their heads out of the waiting room door watching her go down the hall, saw her stop.

Tea frowned. "Poor Kisara, she's going through so much..."

And then Kisara sank against the wall. Seto raced down the hall, the rest of the group at his heels. "Babe?" She hugged against him tightly, wordlessly.

"Kisara? Hon?" Mai probed.

"What's wrong, Kisara? Seto, maybe she should lie down..."offered Serenity worriedly.

The young doctor shook her head, just upset. "I can't do this alone..." Kisara managed to say, finally.

Joey grinned reassuringly. "Of course you're not going to do it alone, Kisara! We're all here to help."

They walked her back to the waiting room and Seto got his lover to a chair. "Babe...what's wrong?" He knew she'd given bad news before, but something seemed different this time. "You're tired..."

"It's not that, honey...I just..." She hugged him tightly again. She drew a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "I've given parents bad news before, but...to tell another mother that her daughter could be looking at a potential death sentence...I don't know...this time, it's harder..."

Tea placed a friendly hand on the doctor's shoulder. "Of course it's going to be hard. But she has to know, and I'm sure that she'll be grateful that now the problem's come to light. I mean, what if you hadn't learned about the heart condition?"

"I know...it's just..." Kisara sighed.

"We're right here, babe," Seto said. "I can get a video conference set up with Alex and Kathy Hanson. You get the doctors. Want someone to come with you while you page?" She nodded. "Any volunteers?" he asked.

"I'll go," Serenity replied, smiling softly. She was glad to be able to help one of her friends.

"Thanks, Serenity," Kisara said. The two young women made their way down the hall. "Now I know why you have your name."

Serenity blinked. "Oh? And why's that, Kisara?" she asked curiously.

"You bring peace," Kisara said, smiling.

Serenity blushed a little and smiled. "That's what everyone's told me. I just try to do what I think is right, and help out where I can..."

"Thanks for sticking with me," Kisara said, squeezing the other woman's hand. Together they came up to the nurse's station and the doctor punched in the numbers to page her four colleagues.

Over the hospital loudspeakers rang "Paging Dr. Misawa, Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Truesdale and Dr. Yuki... Please report to the conference lounge on the second floor..." The message repeated and before long, three women and one man headed to the conference lounge.

"I wonder what's going on," Scout commented to Jayda.

"Yeah..." Jayda added, looking at the other doctors.

"Whatever it is, it must be important. I just hope it doesn't have to do with what I believe it might..." Hiro explained, frowning.

Darla recognized that look. "Hiro? What are you thinking??" she asked.

He sighed, running a hand through his graying hair that so closely resembled his only child's. "I fear it may be about Annie...I know the chances are slim, but still..."

"You don't think Kisara paged us..?" Scout's brown eyes widened.

Jayda groaned softly. "Thanks for filling me in...Jaden must be worried sick..." They entered the room to see their youngest colleague sitting in a chair at the end of the round conference table. "Hey, guys..."

The four doctors were surprised to see a young redheaded woman next to the blue-white-blonde. "Oh, this is my friend, Serenity Taylor. Hiro, you might remember her...Weren't you the one who worked on her eyes?"

Hiro nodded. "Yes. I'm glad to see that the surgery worked perfectly." Serenity smiled. "Thanks again, Dr. Misawa. Without that operation, I would have gone blind."

"Please, Serenity, call me Hiro. Now then, what is it you wished to converse with us about, Kisara?" he asked.

Darla sighed. "It's about Annie, isn't it?"

Kisara nodded. "Thanks, Serenity," she said, squeezing the other woman's hand. Serenity nodded and left. "I needed Serenity for moral support. Yeah, Darla. Annie had an episode during the night, about two AM. Her heart rate jumped from a normal resting rate to almost 280 at its peak. I watched and it didn't start dropping for about 10 minutes. I know this isn't my specialty area, but I have a feeling that this may be a form of tachycardia."

All of the doctors were visibly stricken by the sudden news. "So that was the cause of the commotion last night. One of the nurses mentioned something about a code blue, but I thought it was some other patient," Darla muttered, eyes wide.

Hiro pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed as he took in the information. "That poor girl. That sort of rapid heartbeat. She's so young...do you believe it's in the fatal stages, Kisara?"

"I hope not...We'll need to have Dr. Benson have a look at her in cardiology. It may be manageable with meds at this stage. I had to use medication on her last night and that slowed her heart rate down quickly. The kids don't know yet...Darla, how do you think Sy will take this?"

Darla sighed, frowning deeply. "If I know my son, he'll start worrying. His confidence is improving, but I'm not sure if it'll be able to sustain the blow. I'm personally scared that he'll blame himself, or maybe get so worried that he'll get sick himself."

"How about the others?" Kisara asked.

Scout ran her fingers through her dark brown hair. "I think Alexis and Atticus can handle it. I don't know about Chazz, though...He's dealt with a lot already, but a friend like this..." She paused.

"I think Jaden can as well," Jayda said. "I remember when I was so sick...luckily they caught it at Stage One and were able to do something...Jaden was aware, though. He was scared, but...he handled it well..."

"Zane might get a little worried, but he'll be fine," stated Darla.

Hiro thought for a moment. "Bastion might take it a little hard, but the boy always comes through alright. None of us can truly be sure of Violet's reaction, though we have seen what happened the first time. Kisara, how is her mental and physical state at the moment? Has the medication helped at all?"

"I'm going to check up on Violet this afternoon. She got her voice back, fortunately, but she was running a slight fever. I made almost all of them go home and take naps. Sy, though...Darla, I couldn't make him leave Annie's side..." Kisara sighed. "Hiro, I think it's a good thing Violet has Bastion...She's been a victim of dating battery, and I think if he had his way, your son would be in Ohio beating the living snot out of the guy..."

"She lost her voice?" asked Darla, surprised. She knew Violet had gotten sick, but the only way she'd lose her voice is if she'd strained her vocal cords. "But Syrus truly loves Annie. I think they're perfect for each other," she added.

Hiro nodded. "All the more to hope that nothing happens, Darla. But Kisara, what on Earth are you talking about? Did something happen last night??"

"Violet...was very upset last night. She felt like it was her fault that Annie was so sick, and Hiro, you saw Violet and Bastion soaked to the skin. She'd just said it was her fault. And early this morning when Annie's episode happened, Violet woke everyone up screaming. She helped me get everyone out of the room so I could do my job. And then, after everything settled down and after they woke up this morning, Violet told us about her ex-boyfriend. He used her to get to her best friend, and then when she confronted him, he berated her and slapped her. Apparently, most kids at her old school branded her an outcast. Be very proud of Bastion, Hiro. He told Violet he loved her for her and that that guy was a jerk. He also had to excuse himself from the hospital and walk out to the swear field where he cursed a blue streak. He didn't want to use profanities in a children's hospital," Kisara grinned at this.

Once again, the doctors were shocked. "Must all children go through some terrible event in their lives?" asked Darla sadly.

Hiro sighed, his frown becoming a wry smile. "That's my Bastion, all right. Always the gentleman. It's good that she got the event off of her chest." He thought for a moment. "Judging by her current state, I fear telling Violet could go one of two ways. If she has accepted what 

happened in the past and grown more secure, she should take the news well enough. However...if she has yet to do so, then it could turn out as devastating as Darla explained telling Syrus would be. Besides her family, those two are the closest to Annie."

Kisara drew a deep breath. "Guys...it's my inclination that we tell them...If Annie is facing a death sentence, it'd be a worse shock if she died and they didn't know this whole time. My friends and I faced death at the age those kids are now. What one of them knows, the others will know; we can't hide this from them. But before we tell them, we talk to Annie's mom and dad...Seto's going to set up a video conference."

Darla and Hiro nodded, knowing she was right. "Very well. Though might I suggest at least waiting a bit until Violet is stronger? The news may make her condition worse than it needs to be," Hiro suggested.

"I agree. Sy's probably still sleeping on that lounger in Annie's room, so we've got some time. I'll check with Seto and see if he's ready to hook us up with Annie's parents. Surprisingly, Seto and Annie's dad are business partners..."

"What a coincidence. We'll wait here, then," replied Hiro.

As Kisara exited, Scout looked at Darla. "Are you all right, Darla?"

"I just keep wondering why, Scout. Why is it that the children have to go through so much? Most of us never had to go through all of this."

"I don't know, Darla," she answered, putting an arm around her friend. "I wish I knew...So many kids come in here and we fix them up...You bring new life into this world, and Jayda and I try to keep it here..."

"Excuse me, but aren't you three ladies forgetting someone?" asked Hiro, smiling.

Darla returned the smile. "Of course not, Hiro. You give kids a chance to see again, and you just saw one of them 12 years later as a mother of two. We all try to improve their lives as best as we can."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jayda Yuki couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, Hiro! We're all in the life-saving business together, aren't we?" The four doctors shared a laugh at that.

Then Kisara returned, her husband in tow. "Doctors, I'll just set up this equipment. Babe, do what you have to," Seto said as he got things set up.

"Thanks, honey," Kisara said. "You talk to Alex first and then I'll give him the info on Annie."

Seto got the equipment set up, so that when the call went through, Alex Hanson would have a full view of the younger businessman, his wife and the other four doctors. "You ready, 

babe?" She nodded. "You guys, too?" They nodded. Seto dialed the number, hoping Alex would be at home instead of his office. The phone rang on the other end of the line and Alex Hanson picked up.

"Hello, Hanson residence- oh! Seto, how nice to see you again. How have you been?" Alex greeted. He was the spitting image of his daughter, with brown hair and cheerful blue eyes. Alex noticed the others there as well, and wondered faintly why there were so many doctors.

"Hi, Alex...Been fine, but we were here at the hospital with Annie last night..." Seto said. "You remember my wife, Kisara, don't you?"

Alex nodded. "Of course I do. But, why is my Annie in the hospital?" he asked worriedly.

"Alex...hello again...I wish the circumstances were different...I assume Darla filled you in that Annie was hospitalized last night?" Kisara asked. When he nodded, she continued, "Before I tell you, I need to introduce you. This is Hiro Misawa, Jayda Yuki and Jean Louise Rhodes. They're my colleagues along with Darla and their kids all attend Duel Academy with Annie and Syrus."

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. So then, what exactly is wrong with Annie? Darla told me that she had been hospitalized, but our call was cut off because of a local power outage."

Kisara looked at Darla, and squeezed her husband's hand. "Annie collapsed yesterday in Domino Park and it just so happened that Seto, our kids and I were in the park. Jayda's son Jaden was running for help, but I'd heard the kids screaming and came running. Her pulse rate was pretty high and she didn't come around until about an hour later. I thought maybe it was an isolated incident. However..." she continued and then paused a moment. "Alex, you may want to bring Kathy and your son in there, if they're available."

Alex was shocked. Annie had always had problems with fainting or being over-tired, and the doctors had thought something might be wrong. But from the way Kisara put it... "Right. One moment." He left the view screen area, and a few moments later returned with Kathy and their eldest child, Robert, more popularly known as Bobby.

Kathy Hanson was a pretty woman of medium build and everyone could see where Annie had gotten her more feminine qualities. She had light brown hair, however, and happy brown eyes. Bobby Hanson had his father's bulky build, but his mother's hair and eyes. Bobby also was a soccer player and looked the part of the star athlete.

"Kisara, what a surprise! And Darla, hello! How's my girl?" Kathy asked.

"How's my sister?" Bobby asked in a confident, yet nervous, tenor voice.

"Apparently Annie's not doing so well, Kath. Go ahead and tell us, Kisara. Have you figured out what's wrong?" asked Alex anxiously.

Kisara took another deep breath. "Early this morning, Annie had another episode...her heart rate went up to 280 and it stayed there for nearly 10 minutes before I could bring it down again...I think the fainting episodes are cardiac-related."

Alex's eyes widened fearfully. "It's nothing...fatal, is it?"

"That's what I need to determine...When did these faints start, exactly?"

Alex thought for a moment, searching his memory. "I believe that they began when she was between four and five years old, though it was mostly exhaustion that occurred. Around seven is when she began to faint."

Kisara's pale brows knitted together, concerned. "Did she ever get taken to the ER or just to the family doctor?"

"Just the family doctor. It didn't appear to be anything too serious. The doctor didn't find anything, so he expected it might be low blood sugar or that she wasn't getting enough vitamins."

"Hmmm...Would you give us consent to take her to Dr. Benson? He's a good cardiologist, the best we've got on staff…"

"Well, if you believe it's a serious problem, and seeing him will help discover what is wrong, then I'll allow it. What about you two?" Alex turned to his wife and son.

"Kisara...do what you have to do...Help my baby," Kathy said. Bobby nodded quietly, his brown eyes in turmoil. He was five years older than Annie, and very protective of his baby sister. The idea that she could be hurt or worse was terrifying to him.

"Trust us, you three, we'll do all that we can. Hopefully, we'll find that her cardiac condition isn't fatal and can be cured with medication," explained Darla reassuringly.

Kathy looked at the other mother. "I hope so...Darla, how's Syrus handling this? And just how serious are those two? Annie seems so happy..."

"Yeah, how's the squirt who stole my sister's heart?" Bobby asked, smiling.

Darla sighed. "At first he was really distraught by it. I'm afraid of what might happen when we tell him, but I know that it's unavoidable. And Kathy, do you know that Syrus hasn't left Annie's bedside unless he's had to ever since they were allowed into her hospital room?"

"Oh..." Kathy's eyes shown as she thought of the boy she'd seen in pictures. "That is so sweet. Oh...did anyone ride with her to the hospital?"

"Only Syrus was able to. It turns out that Zane and Jaden were able to convince the paramedics that they were engaged," Darla laughed a little.

Kathy and Alex looked at each other and smiled. "That's also sweet. Darla, thanks for keeping her...How long until she's out of the hospital, though?"

Darla turned to look at Kisara. "We won't be sure until we get the results back from the tests. Kisara would likely have a better idea than me."

Kisara decided to speak at this point. "Kathy, my guess is it'll be a few days. I'm keeping a personal eye on your daughter. You all have my word that I will do the best I can and put her in the hands of the best doctors here. Seto is willing to have people flown in if he has to..."

Alex smiled. "Thank you, all of you, for taking such good care of our daughter. We can't wait to meet Syrus in person when they come up here."

"Our pleasure, Alex," Kisara said. Scout grinned. "We'll probably have her over to our house once she's out of here. Alexis, Atticus and Chazz won't give us any peace until we do..."

"And Jaden will want everyone over...he thinks Annie and Sy are awesome..." Jayda added.

"I'm sure that Violet will manage to convince Bastion that it's absolutely necessary that her best friend stay the night," added Hiro, smiling.

Darla laughed a little. "They're a close group, and they look out for each other. It reminds me exactly of Yugi's little group, even now they're still together."

"Yugi..? Oh, yeah!" Kathy remembered one of Annie's heroes. "Is she awake right now?"

Kisara shook her head. "Annie's still sleeping. I want her to stay that way. Would it be okay if I had her call you when she wakes up?"

"Of course. We'd love to be able to speak with her," replied Alex.

"Okay," Kisara said. "We'll have her call you as soon as we can..." Seto looked at Alex, one father to another. "I'll make sure Annie is well taken care of, Alex..."

Alex nodded. "Thank you, Seto. You always were a good friend."

Seto nodded. "You, too..."

"Well, we should get going now to set up the proper procedures so Annie's testing can get started," explained Darla.

"Thank you, Darla...Just call us and let us know how Annie is," Kathy said.

"Will do, Kathy. Goodbye." The view screen went blank, signaling that the Hansons had hung up.

_Annie's parents now know that her life is possibly in jeopardy and the GX parents are readying themselves to tell their kids. How will the teens handle it? Next time: _House Call:_ Kisara makes a house call on Bastion and Violet. So read, review and stay tuned!_


	24. House Call

Chapter XIV: House Call

_Hey, everyone and welcome back to Summer Love, Summer Fears! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and we're also glad you're concerned about our OCs. We're each amazed that this story has gotten such good buzz and we're glad you're enjoying it still. We know we say it every chapter, but you keep us going! Thank you!_

_Last time, Kisara had a hard time telling the Hansons that Annie was facing a potentially deadly problem. The GX parents also worried over their children and how they would handle finding out. So what will happen next? Just stick around and we'll show you!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise.**_

Kisara yawned after finishing the phone call with the Hansons. "Guys, I'm going to head home for a couple of hours and get some rest. I'll be back and I'll watch Annie and Sy, but first, Hiro, could you give Bastion a ring and let him know I'll be by? I want to check how Violet is..."

"Of course. I'll be sure to let them know you're coming," replied Hiro. He stood and left the room, walking down the hallway to the waiting room where cell phones were allowed to be used. 'I was wondering how Violet was doing myself...' he thought as he dialed the number.

At the Misawa residence, Bastion woke to the phone ringing in his bedroom. He'd managed just an hour or so of sleep, due to his workout in the gym. "Hello? Misawa residence, this is Bastion..."

"Hello, son. I'm just calling to tell you that Kisara will be dropping by in a bit to check on Violet. Were you two able to get any rest?"

Bastion shook himself awake. "Oh, hi, Dad...yeah, I've managed an hour so far...I...had to work out in the gym for a bit...Did Kisara tell you anything?" he asked, wondering if his father had been told about what had happened with Violet. However, his father wasn't thinking along those lines.

Hiro tensed a little, but decided it would be better to tell everyone at the same time. "No, for the moment Annie's been sleeping along with Syrus. Oh, excuse me, son. I just realized that I'm late for an appointment. Goodbye!" Hiro was forced to hang up.

Bastion drew a breath. "I thought for a moment he'd be upset..." He padded down the hallway to check on Violet, hoping she was still asleep. She was, but unfortunately, she was locked in an old nightmare.

--Violet's Nightmare-- Violet was running, running through the hallway back at her old school. She could hear his footsteps getting closer, her heart beating as loud as a drum with fear. "Oh no!" she gasped. She'd run into a dead end, and turned to face none other than Mike. Violet flattened herself against the wall, eyes wide with terror. "L-Leave me alone! Y-You don't scare me a-anymore!!" she squeaked. The nightmare Mike laughed evilly, cracking his knuckles. "I see 

that you still believe someone out there cares about you. Don't tell me that I must teach you this lesson every time..." He grinned, stepping towards her. –End Violet's Nightmare--

Back in the real world, Violet was caught up in the same nightmare she often had. Sweat covered her body, some from her fever and some from her nightmare. "No...no...leave me alone..." she moaned, eyes clenched shut.

Bastion heard Violet's cries and came into the room. "Violet...Violet, my love...it's just a dream...I'm here. And I won't let him harm you," he said in a clear voice as he laid his hand gently on Violet's forehead. "Violet, wake up, darling...Kisara's coming..."

In her nightmare, Violet waited for the blow to come, the same one she'd experienced hundreds of times. However, she was surprised when someone stepped out of the shadows and grabbed Mike's wrist. "I won't let you harm her," he stated in a clear British accent. Her eyes widened in shock, because the figure was Bastion! Instantly, the nightmare Mike shattered, and her nightmare world dissolved. Violet felt something cool resting upon her forehead and groaned, opening her eyes enough to see a blurry figure on her bedside. However, she knew exactly who it was, and opened her eyes fully. "Bastion..."she whispered, relieved.

"Darling...are you all right?" Bastion was tired, but he wouldn't let a small thing like sleepiness get him down. "You're burning up, love...I'm going to get a washcloth for you...And Kisara's going to be here in a moment...Dad called..."

Violet smiled, moving to wrap her arms around Bastion's waist. "I am now that you're here. Thank you, Bastion, for protecting me..." Tears formed in her eyes, that was the first time her nightmare ended well instead of badly.

"Shhhh...It is my honor to protect you...and I love you..." Bastion took a breath and gently disengaged from her grasp. "I'll be right back with that washcloth..."

"I love you, too...hurry back," she called after him as he left. Violet sighed, though it ended in a few coughs. 'It figures. I finally get to spend time with Bastion, and I get sick! Stupid immune system...' she thought.

Bastion moved quickly, not wanting to leave Violet alone. 'Hurry, Kisara,' he thought.

Meanwhile, Kisara and her friends and husband made their way out to the limo. "Just drop me off at the Misawas, Seto. I need to take of Violet..."

"Babe, don't exhaust yourself..."

"Seto...I'll be okay...you guys need to get your kids, anyway. I wonder how Mokuba and Becca did last night?" Kisara wondered.

"Oh, I'm sure they're fine. Mokuba and Becca are great with the kids. I bet they had lots of fun," replied Tea reassuringly.

"You just make sure to get some rest, all right?" added Joey.

Kisara nodded. "Hon, I know that look," Mai said. "Don't make us sedate you..."

"You won't have to...I just have to be sure Violet's going to be okay before she knows about Annie..." Kisara yawned again.

"Well, just don't push yourself. Get home and sleep as soon as you can," Tristan instructed her.

Serenity nodded in agreement. "We'd hate if you exhausted yourself and collapsed, or worse..."

"I won't, you two..." Kisara promised as the limo pulled up to the Misawa residence. "Seto, tell the kids I'll be home soon..."

"Got it, babe..." He kissed her softly and she headed to the door of the house.

She knocked on the door and Bastion came to it, a cold washcloth in his hand. "Hello, Kisara...Are you staying for a bit?" he asked.

"Yeah...I told Seto I'd call him when I was sure Violet was okay...Have you gotten any sleep?" she asked as he led her up the stairs to Violet's room.

"Yes, about an hour's worth..."

"Okay...I'm going to have you go back to bed in a little bit," she said as they got close to Violet's room.

Violet had gotten uncomfortable in the warm bed, and decided to get some fresh air. So, she was now sitting on the large windowsill, the window open as her purple hair blew in the breeze. Violet had her mind on other things, so didn't even hear the two coming back down the hallway. 'It's so nice to see the ocean...you can't see it back in Ohio. Only the lake...if you go to the city,' she thought sadly.

"Violet...darling, Kisara's here," Bastion said, knocking on the door, entering. He felt the summer breeze. "Are you all right?" he asked coming up to her.

Violet let out an 'eep' in surprise at the knock, waving about for a moment until she regained her balance. "Whew...that was close. I'm...okay, I guess. I feel really hot, I have a bit of a headache, and I'm coughing a little," she explained. As if to emphasize this, a light coughing fit occurred before she'd even finished speaking.

"Sweetie, let me check you out...Oh, you're all sweaty, Violet...would you like that bath now?" Kisara asked.

Violet nodded. "I really need one. I feel all...icky." She made a face, then smiled a little. "I remember that my mom once said if you're hot, take a hot shower or bath to cool off. It always worked, but I never understood why," she explained, hopping off the windowsill.

"Okay...Bastion, go fill up the tub, will you, honey?"

"Shall I put in the eucalyptus bath, Kisara?" he asked.

"Not just yet. Looks like you need your hair washed, Violet!" Kisara grinned, noticing the dirt from the day before.

Kisara got a clean set of pajamas out from Violet's bag, while Bastion went and filled the tub. 'This ought to be right,' he thought, filling the bathtub with hot but not too hot water.

Violet blinked and grabbed her ponytail. "Oh, ew! Bleh!! I can't wait to get clean again..." As if it would somehow help, she shook all over like a dog would.

Kisara laughed softly. "Get yourself ready, honey, and I'll be right back..." She headed to the bathroom where Bastion was nearly finished with the tub.

"It's filled, Kisara...is this right?" he asked as she checked the water.

"Just fine," she answered. "Why don't you go back to bed while I help Violet? You're exhausted, Bastion and you don't need to get sick..."

"All right...just promise me, Kisara, that you'll take care of her...She...had another nightmare...but she said it ended well..." He looked puzzled.

"I'll talk to her honey," she answered. "You get to bed."

"All right..."

Violet changed out of her dirty old clothes, tossing them into the hamper. She let her hair down as well, then wrapped a towel around herself and went into the bathroom. "Bastion went back to bed, right?"

"Yeah, he did, Violet...here, get on in, and I'll help you..."

"All right. That's good, he needed more sleep..." she replied. Violet blushed a little and took off the towel, remembering the incident that had happened in this very bathroom. Luckily, her fever hid the blush, and she climbed into the bath. "Ah...this is nice. I haven't had a bath in forever..."

"When was the last one?" Kisara asked, grabbing the shampoo.

Violet paused to think for a moment, stifling a cough before answering. "I think it was when I was twelve. After that, the water heater wouldn't have enough power to let me fill the bath enough. And there aren't really baths at Duel Academy. Unless you count the public ones, but I never really went to those."

"Oh. Well, then enjoy this, Violet...you're looking a bit better," Kisara said smiling.

"I feel better...at least, better than last night or this morning. Oh! How's Annie doing? Nothing happened, right?" she asked worriedly.

"Annie's sleeping right now," Kisara said. "Nothing's happened, Violet."

Violet let out a sigh, sinking down into the warm water. "Hey, Kisara, can I...ask you something?"

"Of course," Kisara said, scrubbing Violet's long purple hair.

"Is it possible for dreams to have meanings? Like, a sign or something??" she asked nervously. This whole "letting everything out into the open" thing was still kind of new to her.

Kisara smiled thoughtfully. "Yes, it is possible...Why do you ask?"

She blushed, playing with a stray lock of her purple hair. "Well, you remember my nightmare? The one I had this morning?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, I've had it every night since that...thing, happened. But, the night I slept with Bastion-before Annie collapsed-I didn't have it. For once I got a full night's sleep. And I had the nightmare again earlier, but Bastion ended up saving me. For some reason I feel like I'm never going to have it again..." she explained, smiling a little.

"That's wonderful, Violet..." Kisara said happily. "Sweetie...I think the fact that Bastion saved you tells me he's very special to you...Am I right?"

Violet smile broadened. "You bet your socks he is! I've never felt this way about anyone, not even Mike back when I thought he loved me." She suddenly looked shocked, rubbing her left cheek with her hand as if something was missing.

"How serious are you two?" Kisara asked curiously.

Violet blinked in surprise, having been distracted. "Huh? I'm sorry, did you say something??" 'That was...weird. It...it didn't sting, at all. It always did whenever I mentioned him...or even thought of him,' she thought, eyes wide. Violet remembered the countless nights she'd woken up in a cold sweat, the whole left side of her face burning.

Kisara looked at her thoughtfully, blue eyes looking at the green ones. "Did your cheek hurt when you thought of...the ex?"

Violet nodded. "It always did. If I even thought of that day, it'd sting or burn. Though, no one else ever seemed to notice," she replied, frowning.

"But it doesn't hurt now, does it?"

"No. I got so used to the feeling that I was shocked when it didn't. I don't understand..."she muttered.

Kisara's expression went from happy to very thoughtful..."Violet...May I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"I had nightmares for a while when I was really small, and it took a while before I really trusted my parents..."

Violet blinked in surprise. "Really? Why??"

"Well...I started life as Kisara Jenkins and when I was two, my biological parents had a big fight in front of me. My biological dad slapped me really hard. Both parents were declared unfit parents and I was put into the Missouri foster care system..."

"Oh no, I'm sorry, Kisara..."she replied. Sure, her parents had fought plenty of times, but everyone's parents did. But she'd never been hit by her parents during one of them.

Kisara sighed. "Thanks, honey. Anyway...a faith-based orphanage took me and about six months later, a family with a seven-year-old boy came...That was my mom, dad and big brother...though I didn't know they would be at the time..." And then Kisara smiled. "Mom and Dad said they felt God meant me for their family. And Eddie needed a little sister. They adopted me and took me to Seattle...but for a while, I was afraid of Daddy..." Kisara sighed, her expression sad. "He wasn't the one who'd hurt me, but...any time I heard a raised voice, I got really scared of him..."

"But you eventually came to trust him, right?"

"I did...one day...I was three...he was reading a philosophy book. He asked me to come sit with him and I started reading with him...really reading. He hugged me and shouted happily when he realized I actually could read and understand. And somehow...I knew he would never, ever hurt me...and that a raised voice could mean good things..."

"So...are you trying to tell me that even though I had a bad experience, I came to trust Bastion?"

"Did you?" Kisara asked.

Violet thought for a moment, then nodded. Until she met Bastion, she'd always felt alone. Even her family didn't understand her. But he accepted the way she was and loved her for it. "I wasn't able to tell anyone about what happened until I met Bastion..."

"Then...you do trust him. I'll bet it took you a bit to let him close, didn't it?"

"Yeah. At first I was...scared, really. That he might just use me or end up hurting me. Just like everyone else," she mumbled, tearing up.

"Oh, sweetie...and yet, you've found a blessing in all your friends...and I know Annie would not hurt you and judging by Bastion's reaction," she grinned, rinsing Violet's hair and putting in some conditioner, "he wouldn't let anyone hurt you, either...In a way..."

Violet smiled again. "He did get pretty mad, huh? I just hope we don't run into Mike when we go to stay with my parents. I'm afraid they might hurt each other."

"Well, I think Bastion would treat matters like a knight...he'll just knock the guy on his butt quickly..." Noticing Violet's expression, she added, "Seto did the same for me once..."

Violet giggled, picturing the scene in her head. "He did?" She laughed a little more, imagining Seto doing such a thing dressed in armor.

"Well, a guy tried to get fresh with me when Seto and I were out for dinner, and Seto told the guy to leave me alone, and when he didn't, Seto just shoved him, knocking him on his butt...it was so sweet!" Kisara said, eyes shining at the memory.

Violet laughed a little more, then sighed. "But there's more than just Mike to worry about. My dad's a little...protective."

"My dad is, too," Kisara said with a laugh. "Seto was the first boy that took a real interest in me and Daddy was naturally...apprehensive..."

"You should have seen my dad after I'd told him how Mike had cheated on me. If it wasn't for the fact that he'd go to jail, he might have taught him a lesson. But, there really wasn't anything he could do..."

"Yeah...dads are like that; they want to avenge us but they also want to be there to protect us. That means they don't go beating the living daylights out of our exes."

"Hey, uh, Kisara? Would it be okay if I slept with Bastion after this? I just...feel really safe with him." She blushed a little. Violet had asked because she didn't want to make him sick.

"How big is his bed, Violet?"

"It's a twin."

"Hmmm..." Kisara thought a moment. "Violet...I'm going to go change the sheets on your bed, and I think I can move Bastion in with you, all right? That way, you two can have enough room..."

"Hooray! Thank you, Kisara!!" Violet cheered, almost hugging the doctor before remembering that she was wet.

Kisara grinned. "No problem...Now that you're all clean, I'll add those eucalyptus bath salts...It'll help relax you..."

"Right...isn't that eucalyptus stuff what koalas eat?" she asked curiously.

"Yes it is...But it does have healing properties..."

Kisara stood. "I'll be right back...Just relax," she said as the aroma of the bath salts floated up from the warm water.

Violet blinked as the salts were dumped in, picking one up to look at it. "All right," she sighed and leaned back, closing her eyes tiredly.

Kisara moved to the linen closet down the hall and grabbed a set of sheets. She moved into Violet's room, stripped the bed and got new sheets on. She also sprayed some aerosol disinfectant so any germs in the room were blasted. Then she got Violet's new clean pajamas and panties and set them on the bed. 'Hmmm...should I get Bastion now or later?' she thought. 'I'll ask Violet," she thought as she walked back into the bathroom. "Violet, how are you doing, honey?"

"Just...fine...these things...smell really...nice..."she sighed happily.

"Good...now, I have a question...would you be comfortable with Bastion in the room while you get dressed again or would you like me to bring him in after you're all settled?"

Violet blushed, again remembering the encounter in this very bathroom. "Uh, maybe it'd be for the best if he came after I got dressed. Should I...get out now?" she asked, sitting up.

"He saw you, didn't he?" Kisara asked seriously, noticing the teen's blush. "Or...did you see him?"

Violet's blush intensified. "It's...worse, actually. We saw each other...then, his mom came into the bathroom."

"Could've been worse...it could've been his dad! Or your dad..."

"I don't think his dad would have been all that upset..." Her eyes widened and she grimaced. "But my dad would have had a cow, a horse, AND a goat!"

"My dad took it pretty well, actually..." Kisara blushed at the memory.

Violet's eyes widened. "Your dad walked in??"

Kisara started laughing. "Yup! It was an accident...and Dad heard Seto yell, and me yell, and he walked in..."

Violet smirked, changing the subject. "So...did Seto have a six-pack?" she asked mischievously.

"He still does..." Kisara grinned. "He works out every day..."

Violet giggled. "Well, Bastion's the same way. I didn't even know he worked out until we got together. He's not the math nerd everyone thinks he is...well, maybe he is, but he can also kick butt."

"I knew that Seto could kick butt before I met him...I thought he was cute, but I honestly thought a girl like me didn't stand a chance with a guy like him...He was, I thought, the type of guy who'd end up on a show like 'The Bachelor...' I'm glad I was wrong..." Kisara helped Violet out of the bathtub. "Let's get you dry and get you some cool fruit juice or something, okay?"

Violet smiled. "Sounds good to me. I'm feeling a lot better now, Kisara. Thanks for all the stuff you've been doing for us..."

"My pleasure, honey..." She helped Violet to the bedroom. "Think you can manage getting your pajamas and stuff on by yourself?"

"Yep! Unlike this morning, I can move around okay." She grinned picking up the pajamas Kisara had picked out. They consisted of a dark pink T-shirt with a Watapon on it and matching dark pink capris. "How'd you know these were my favorite?"

"Lucky guess...get those on and I'll be back with some juice and some meds that'll help you sleep."

"Right!" She started getting dressed as Kisara left the room, Watapon appearing out of her deck on the side table. "Oh, hi, Watapon! I was wondering where you were. You weren't too worried about me, were you?" she asked. Watapon squeaked, rubbing his fluffy body affectionately against her arm.

Kisara heard the exchange and headed downstairs to the Misawas' nice kitchen. 'Okay, a glass of grape juice should do it...' She also got a cool compress for Violet's forehead, then headed back upstairs. She'd left her doctor's bag in Violet's bedroom, so she'd just have to get the meds from the bag. "Hey, Violet," she said, re-entering the room.

"Hi ya, Kisara!" Violet grinned from her spot on the bed, where she sat cross-legged with Watapon in her lap. A few Duel Monsters cards were spread around her, most of her deck still in her hand.

"Oh, is this your deck?" the young woman asked. "Your alien deck?"

"Yep! I thought I'd take a look at it real quick, just to make sure everyone's been okay. It's been a while since I dueled..."she replied, gathering up the cards.

"Could you tell me about it? I'd love to know about your deck."

Violet blinked in surprise. "Really? No one ever wanted to know...except for Cherri and Annie. I know it may sound strange, but...back home, no one was really into Duel Monsters. At least, not before I left for Duel Academy."

"Of course I'd love to know! Your deck tells a lot about you...I may not duel, but I have a favorite card next to Blue Eyes..."

"Really? Which is it?? Mine, of course, is Watapon." Violet giggled, playing with Watapon's fuzzy antennae.

Kisara drew a card from her pocket. "Injector Fairy Lilly...I think she's neat!"

"Oh! Cool!!" Violet exclaimed. She laid out her cards on the bed, placing three in the center. "I always liked the aliens. From Yugi's Kuriboh to his Watapon, I thought they were unique. But, it was really hard finding any strong aliens. So, I decided to write a letter to Pegasus, asking if he could make more. I had to be clever, and told him that aliens would sell big since Yugi's trademark Kuriboh was one. And wouldn't you know it? Within a month he released a whole new booster pack called 'Alien Galaxy'! I had to order the cards online since the game shops didn't sell them. And that's how I got my aliens. Three of them are really special to me though, and are also rare!"

"Wow...I like Kuriboh...he and his siblings are so cute...It doesn't surprise me that you'd see Kuriboh as an alien...I did..." Kisara smiled.

Violet laughed a little, then picked up the three center cards. "Tell me, have you ever seen these?"she asked. The first card looked like a Watapon with large pink wings. The second card looked like a Watapon totem pole, and the third card was a spell card with a Watapon on it.

"Oh, no, I haven't..." the doctor answered. "They're so cute! What are they?"

"These are the rare cards I mentioned. They're Watapon's other two forms. The winged one is 'Winged Watapon' and the other one is 'Watapon Totem'. The spell card, Watapon Fusion, allows me to summon all three Watapon cards at once and fuse them together. This makes the strongest monster in my deck..."explained Violet. She stood and walked over to her bag, pulling 

out a pink card case. "Whenever I'm not dueling, I keep it in here so it stays safe." She opened the case and pulled out a Fusion Monster card labeled "King Watapon".

"Wow..." Kisara said. "That looks like a big guy!"

"It is! And I'm going to use him on Jaden when we duel. It'll be Neo-Spacians against Galaxy Aliens." Violet placed the card back in its case, stifling a yawn.

"That'll be a great match...Here, why don't you drink this juice down and take this? It's a fever reliever-sleep aid combo and it should give you a few hours..." She handed Violet the glass of grape juice and two gel-coated caplets.

"All right. Uh, Kisara? Could you get Bastion for me??" she asked quietly.

"I'll get him...you just take your medicine...He'll be in here in a minute..."

"Right! Thanks again, Kisara." Violet placed her deck on the side table and sat on the bed, taking her medicine.

Kisara wandered down the hall to Bastion's room where the boy genius was dozing. "Bastion...honey..." He stirred and turned over. "E equals MC squared...Warp speed can be achieved by bending space time..." He was talking in his sleep.

"Bastion..." Kisara tried again.

This time, the boy's eyes opened, but he was out of it. "I'll have...the crumpets please...with Earl Grey tea...no sugar..."

Kisara sighed. "C'mon...let's get you to Violet's room..." He stood up, sleepwalking a bit, but following Kisara as she guided him to the room. "Violet?" Kisara asked.

Violet was lying under the sheets, eyes half-closed tiredly. The empty glass was sitting on the table by her deck. "Hi, Kisara...hi, Bastion-baby."

Bastion, again still out of it, said, "Violet, darling..."

Violet grinned. "If you're still tired then lay down, Bastion-baby!"

"You look beautiful in that bikini..."

"Bikini?" Kisara asked, stunned.

Violet blinked. "Kisara, did his brain snap in half?" she asked, frowning.

"No," Kisara answered as she helped Bastion into the bed where he fell asleep completely. "He just wasn't awake. Has he seen you in a bikini?"

Violet thought for a moment. "No, I don't think so." She giggled, kissing his cheek. "He's funny when he's disoriented..."

Bastion was sound asleep now, and didn't react. "Okay, Violet...just let yourself go to sleep, okay?" Kisara said, helping the girl cover up. "I'm going to quick take your temperature before I go..."

"All right, Kisara. You make sure to get some rest, too. Okay? You can't help take care of Annie if you're exhausted and get sick..." Violet stated, yawning.

"You've got it...I'm going to call Seto and he'll bring the limo around for me...then I'll take a good nap..." Kisara promised. She checked Violet's temperature and smiled. "You're already down a bit...I think you're on the mend, honey...Get some sleep. Bastion's dad should be home soon..."

"Right...bye, Kisara..." Violet mumbled. She turned over, snuggling into Bastion's chest and quickly dozing off.

Kisara smiled, slipping out of the room. She pulled out her cell phone and made the call. "Hey, honey."

"Hey, babe. Are they okay?"

"Yeah...sleeping like angels. I think they'll be okay until Hiro or Katai gets home. How are the kids?"

"Wondering when Mommy will get home and if she's going to take a nap..."

"I am...I'll have a little bite to eat, take a shower and then crash for a few hours, okay?"

"Okay, babe...I'm sending the limo now..."

Kisara waited for ten minutes and the limo came. "Mrs. Kaiba," Roland said, coming up to her as she exited the house, "how are you?"

"Fine, Roland, but I am tired."

"We'll have you home in a few minutes, okay?" She nodded and climbed into the limo. She fought nodding off in the limo and was happy to see home.

Seto was waiting for her when she got out of the car. "Hey, babe...you all right?"

"Less talkie...more sleepy..." Kisara was feeling exhausted now. She yawned.

"Mom?" Noah called.

"Hi, sweetie..." Kisara said as her kids came up to her.

"Mom, are you feeling okay? You look tired," stated Serena, frowning.

Jamie nodded. "Mommy needs sleep..."

"I'm okay, angels..." Kisara said.

"Mommy, is that girl okay?" six-year-old Jenna asked as Jamie, her twin looked at her.

Noah and Serena, too, wanted answers. "Yeah, Mom..."

"Kids, let Mom get a snack and then get a nap, okay?" Seto said, giving his four children a look.

"All right, Mom. Come on guys; let's go outside and play," coaxed Serena, understanding.

"Can we, daddy?" Jamie asked.

"Okay, kids, just keep it down and pray for your mom. She's having a hard time," Seto said softly as Kisara headed to the kitchen.

"Okay, daddy!" replied Jamie. The four children ran outside to play in the backyard, leaving their parents alone inside the house.

Seto headed down to the kitchen where Kisara was making a peanut butter and raspberry jam sandwich. "You could have Marie fix something, you know, babe..."

"It's okay, honey...I doubt I could stay awake long enough..." She finished fixing the sandwich and ate it, then drank a glass of milk. "Honey, I'm going to need to get up in a few hours..."

"You're going back?"

"I have to...can you watch the kids tonight?"

"Yeah..."

She yawned again. "Honey, I promise I'll be careful..." He helped her stand up and get her to their bedroom and bathroom. While Kisara got a shower, Seto got her favorite comfy pink striped cotton nightgown out and laid it on the bed, along with a fresh pair of panties.

Fifteen minutes passed. "Babe? Kisara?" Seto called. He headed into the bathroom where the shower was running. "Babe?" She was leaning against the wall of the huge shower and she was sound asleep. "Kisara?" he said softly, opening the door and turning off the water.

"I'll be out in a minute," she muttered.

His face softened. "C'mon, babe...let's get you dried off." He grabbed a fluffy white bath towel and wrapped it around his wife's soft body. He toweled her off and got her dressed, and then got her into bed. "I'll wake you up in eight hours...you just sleep, babe..." Kisara was out solidly at 12:30 and Seto tiptoed out of the room. He decided to go check on the kids.

They were outside, playing on their huge play set, big enough for 40 kids to play comfortably. "Hey, Dad!" Noah called.

"Hi, Daddy," Jenna added.

"Hi, Dad!" called Serena, waving.

"Daddy!" cheered Jamie. He ran over and hugged Seto's legs happily.

"Mommy's taking a long nap and she's going to go back to the hospital to check on Annie, so should we have Marie make something, or should we go out for dinner?" Seto really enjoyed fatherhood and looked upon his four kids with genuine love. Noah looked like he had at ten years old, and Serena looked like Mokuba who looked like his and Seto's late mother. Jamie, also known as Seto James Junior, looked like a cross between his father and mother because of his blue-white blonde locks and Jenna looked exactly like her mother.

"I don't mind what we do, Dad, as long as we eat dinner with you!" Serena said. Jaime nodded in agreement.

"Us too, Dad..." Noah said as Jenna smiled. "Think Mom'll be up to eat with us?"

"I don't know, Noah," Seto said. "She needs to sleep right now...Hey, maybe we could do something nice for Mom..."

"Yeah! But what can we do?" asked Serena. Jaime liked the idea, too, but couldn't think of anything.

Jenna sighed. "We can't bring her breakfast in bed...not like Mother's Day..."

Noah thought a minute. Even his brilliant brain couldn't come up with anything. "Dad, we're out of ideas..."

Seto sighed. "I'll get her some flowers from all of us...I think keeping it quiet for now is a good idea." The four kids nodded. "How about we play a little soccer?" he asked them.

"Yeah!" cheered Jaime.

"I call first kick!" added Serena, grinning.

"Oh, yeah! You are goin' down, Serena!" Noah shouted.

"Yay!" Jenna grinned.

Seto smiled. "I'm goalie!" Meanwhile, Kisara slept on.

_And so we ended with a little Kaiba family fluff. Next time, we'll see what happens when Annie and Sy wake up in the hospital. Until next time, read and review! Thanks!_


	25. Science Fiction and Magical Girl Anime

Chapter XXV: Science Fiction and Magical Girl Anime

_Hello, everyone and welcome to another chapter of "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" Sorry for the length of the last one, folks but we just had a hard time breaking that one up. We're glad you were able to read and review. And so we bring you something a bit shorter and at Domino Children's. _

_Last time, Violet had some bonding time with Kisara and Bastion turned out to be rather amusing when half-asleep. Kisara went home to take a well-deserved nap and Seto played soccer with his and Kisara's four children._

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or the Star Trek franchise. Peach just happens to adore Deep Space Nine and knows the first episode very well. She owns the entire series on DVD; nothing more. Peach Wookiee owns Annie Hanson, while 15animefreak15 owns Violet and Rosa. Together, the two authoresses own the idea of "The Adventures of Mana, the Dark Magician Girl."**_

_Authors' note: There is mild swearing in this chapter. Just wanted you to know._

Meanwhile, at Domino Children's Hospital, Annie remained sound asleep, due largely in part to the sedative Kisara had given her in addition to the medication to keep her heart rate down.

Syrus was also asleep on the lounger beside Annie's bed, though his sleep was more of a light doze than Annie's deep one.

"Syrus?" Jayda Yuki called softly as she came into the room.

Syrus yawned and opened his eyes a little, still half-asleep. "Huh? Jayda??" he mumbled tiredly.

"Hi, sweetheart...I just wanted to check on you. You've been asleep for quite some time," she said, coming over and sitting down on a chair next to his lounge bed.

"Really?" he yawned. "I must have dozed off..."

"You did, but I'm glad to see you got some rest. Your mama was worried you wouldn't and get sick." Jayda laid her hand on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, except for being a little tired. I'm just glad that Annie's okay."

Jayda, through a great deal of practice, was able to keep her expression from shifting to major worry. "Yeah...well, we're going to have to have you go home...Syrus..."

Syrus frowned. "But...I don't want to leave her alone," he replied, placing his hand on his love's hand.

"I know, honey...but you can't run the risk of getting sick yourself," Jayda sighed. "You wouldn't want to have to leave her and be stuck at home, would you?"

"No...but I don't want to not be here and then something happen. I promised her that I'd be with her...that we'd get through this together," he explained.

"Syrus...you are here for her, sweetie...like you were there for Jaden your first school year and this year, too." Jayda smiled at this, remembering the emails from her only child about the bluenette boy who'd been her son's first real friend in years.

Syrus sighed. "But what if something happens, and I'm not here to help her or comfort her? I promised," he mumbled, biting his bottom lip.

"Syrus...how do you feel about Annie?" Jayda asked. From Jaden's emails, she knew things were serious, but she wanted to know more.

"I love her a lot. More than anyone else I've ever spent time with. She's funny and kind, and she doesn't care that I'm smaller or that I've been in a lower ranked dorm. She helped me gain more confidence, and now I'm returning the favor by sticking through this with her," he explained.

Jayda thought quickly. 'He doesn't want to leave her...and maybe making him leave would be worse...' "Syrus, would you be okay if we had your mom or dad bring you changes of clothes and stuff so you can clean up? We do that for moms and dads here, and at Domino General, that's done for people who don't want to leave their spouses."

Syrus blushed a little at the word "spouses", but was glad that they wouldn't make him leave. "That's fine. Just as long as I can stay and be here for Annie..."

"Okay, sweetie. Oh, your dad did bring this by earlier." She held up a bag of fresh clothes, sneakers and underwear as well as his toothbrush, toothpaste and shampoo and conditioner. "You can use the bathroom in there. There are some towels and a nice shower. While you're doing that, I'm going to get Annie into a nightshirt of hers, okay?"

Syrus nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Jayda. I'm glad I can stay..." He took the bag and went into the bathroom, changing out of his dirty clothes. Syrus then got into the shower, letting it wash over his tired body before shampooing his hair.

Meanwhile, Jayda quickly adjusted the bed so she could pull the traditional hospital gown off of Annie and get a purple cotton nightgown that was a bit more modest onto the girl. She could also quickly give Annie a sponge bath. "There you go, honey..." So deep in sleep was Annie that she didn't even stir as the doctor cleaned her. "You'll be all right...We're going to help you be okay..." Once the girl was clean, Jayda got the gown on her. "There you are...all better," the doctor said. "I just hope you realize how much he loves you..."

Syrus had conditioned his hair, and now got out of the shower to dry off. He put on some fresh clothes and brushed his teeth, before going back out into the hospital room. "How's she doing, Jayda?"

"Sound asleep...If she doesn't wake up on her own in a few hours, I'll need to wake her to feed her. Her vitals seem good, though."

"That's good," he replied.

Jayda looked at the small aqua-blue haired teen thoughtfully. "Are you hungry, Sy?" The sound of a loud growl from his stomach answered her question well enough. "Okay, honey...What would you like? I'll get something from the doctor's cafeteria for you..."

"I don't really mind, anything's okay. I never was a picky eater...except when it came to vegetables," he replied, sweat-dropping.

"Okay...how does a nice roast beef sandwich sound?"

"That sounds great!" Syrus' stomach grumbled in agreement, and he blushed a little.

"Okay, I'll be right back, sweetie..." Jayda headed out of the room, smiling a bit and Syrus was alone with his love. The purple cotton nightgown looked good on her, though the shade of purple did make her look a little paler than she was.

Syrus sighed and sat on the lounger, taking Annie's pale hand into his own. He had to admit, she looked cute in that purple nightshirt. "I'm glad that you're okay, Annie. Get better soon, so we can all have fun and hang out!"

At this moment, Annie stirred. "Urmph..."

Syrus blinked in surprise. "Annie? Are you awake?? Can you hear me?" he asked anxiously.

She squeezed his hand a little bit, and her eyes fluttered open. "S-Syrus? What...where...I wasn't dreaming, was I?"

"Dreaming about what, Annie? You're still in the hospital...the others had to go home to rest," he explained, frowning.

"I thought...I just dreamed I was...oh, Sy..." Her eyes were tearing up again.

Syrus' eyes widened. "Annie, what's wrong?!"

"I'm really in here...and...I'm going to be here for a while..."

He blinked in surprise again. "What do you mean, Annie? The doctors haven't said anything serious is going on..."

"I just have this feeling, Syrus...Kisara had to use medicine on me last night, and I know what it was...it was something for the heart...I'm scared, Sy..."

Syrus squeezed Annie's hand. "Annie, don't worry. I'm sure that if something was wrong, they'd tell us. And besides, even if something was wrong, I'd be here for you. I told you we'd get through this together, remember?"

She nodded, but still looked scared. "Thanks, Sy...I...love you so much..."

"I love you, too, Annie. And there's no way I'm going to let you deal with this alone..."

Jayda, by this time, came back with Sy's sandwich. "Hey, sweetie, I brought you something...Oh, Annie...welcome back, honey..."

"Hi, Jayda..." Annie said, wiping her eyes fast.

"She woke up a few minutes after you left, Jayda. Thanks for getting me some food..." he replied, taking the sandwich.

"You're welcome. I'll get someone to bring something for you, Annie, okay? I'll bet you're hungry."

Annie nodded. "Sy and I can have..." she looked at the clock... "…lunch together. After that, can I talk to my parents?"

"Of course, sweetie...We talked to your parents and brother, and they'll want to talk to you...but eat your lunch first, okay?"

Annie nodded eagerly. "Yay, lunch!"

Syrus grinned, taking a bite out of his sandwich. "I'll wait until your food gets here to eat the rest. I just needed to stop my stomach from growling!" he laughed.

"Okay," Annie said as Jayda headed out. "I wonder what she'll bring for me...Hospital food can be okay or it can be nasty..."

"Let's hope it's the good kind. But if it's bad, maybe Jayda will let me split my sandwich with you," replied Syrus.

Meanwhile, Jayda walked down the hall to go back to the cafeteria to get Annie a sandwich as well. 'I need to talk to Darla,' she thought, worried. 'And...the kids are all going to need to know soon...'

She was lucky, because Darla was just heading to the hospital cafeteria for her lunch break. "Oh, hi, Jayda!" she greeted.

"Darla, Annie's awake...I'm getting her something...And Sy's going to be eating with her. He woke up a bit before Annie did and he's gotten a shower and is in clean clothes..."

"Oh, well that's wonderful!" Then, Darla's expression sobered. "When do you think we should tell the kids?"

"Soon...Annie'd been crying, but she tried to hide it from me...Darla, I think she knows something is wrong..."

Darla sighed. "She is a smart girl. I wouldn't be surprised by the fact. Of course, that means that we'll have to tell them as soon as possible. All at once is better than one at a time." They'd reached the cafeteria, and Darla got into the lunch line.

"Hmmm...do Annie and Sy like chocolate?" Jayda asked, looking at the parfaits.

"I know Syrus does, and Annie probably does as well. Not many kids dislike chocolate," Darla replied.

"Okay, then..." Jayda said, taking two parfaits and then a sandwich for Annie. She also added some fruit punch. "I got some fruit punch for Sy, too. Jaden goes crazy for this stuff...I wonder how they handle his sugar highs at Duel Academy?"

"I believe that Syrus and the others sent emails explaining Jaden's various sugar highs. They sometimes complained that he just kept going no matter what. Anyway, bye, Jayda!" Darla went her own way to sit at a table while Jayda left the cafeteria.

"See you, Darla," Jayda said. She headed back down the hall with the tray of food. 'Stiff upper lip,' she thought, entering the room. "Hey, kids, I'm back! I'll bet you're hungry, Annie!"

"Yeah, thanks, Jayda," Annie said. "Oh, are those pudding parfaits? Yum!"

"Eat all you want, okay?" the doctor said. Annie nodded.

"Cool! Thanks, Jayda!! They look tasty," replied Syrus. He went back to eating his sandwich, smiling happily at Annie.

Annie didn't talk for a minute as she bit into her sandwich. 'I'm so lucky...' she thought. 'God,' she prayed in her head, 'please...even if...I might not be here...just give me a little more time with Sy...'

Syrus noticed that Annie was being really quiet. "Annie? Something wrong??"

She smiled at him. "Just thinking...how lucky I am to have you here, Sy..."

Syrus blushed. "Aw, thanks, Annie. We're both lucky to have each other."

"Hey, later, if it was okay with you...could we watch some Deep Space Nine? If you didn't mind watching Star Trek, that is?"

"Uh...sure. I've never seen it before, but maybe I'll end up liking it!" he replied, grinning. Admittedly, he wasn't sure that he would like it but he'd watch it and even lie through his teeth to keep her happy.

"Okay," Annie said. "Oh there is a DVD player in here...I guess we'll start with the first season...It might be a little scary, but it is the best of the five live-action series," she explained.

"It's all right, Annie. As long as you're here I'll be fine," Syrus smiled, having finished his sandwich and started on his parfait.

Annie had nearly finished her sandwich when Jayda smiled. "We just happen to have the DS9 series if you'd like to start, Annie. Feel like it now?"

"Yeah, if Sy is game..."

"Sure! I'm excited to see it," he replied, grinning.

"All right," Annie said, as Jayda got the DVD fixed. "Annie you know which one to pick," she said when the main menu came on.

Annie nodded. "Okay...we're watching the very first episode...'Emissary...' Ready, Syrus?"

"Yup! Ready when you are, Annie." He scooted closer to his bed.

"Why don't you sit up here with me?" Annie asked. "Can he, Jayda? Please?"

"All right, honey..." And Jayda helped the boy onto Annie's bed.

"I think you'll like this first episode...but you might get a bit scared of the space zombies," Annie said.

"Space zombies?" Syrus laughed a little. "I can't wait to see what they look like," he added, taking her hand again. Privately he was nervous, though.

"They're the bad guys from the second live-action series. They're called the Borg," Annie smiled nervously. "They're all people that got given robot parts...kind of like the chicken on Robot Chicken..."

Syrus laughed again. "They sound kind of cool...like my Roids. Now I really want to see them."

"Um...they're not as cute as your monsters, I'll tell you that..." And then, the show started. It began with a huge space battle and the captain of another Starfleet vessel looking like a gray version of himself with a scary robot arm. He was threatening the commander and the captain of the other vessel as an enemy. "I always hate this part..." Annie said.

Syrus blinked. "Why?"

"Captain Picard's always so nice...and now he's a monster...And that commander is about to..." And then the ship was hit by the fire from the huge cube-shaped ship and other ships were being destroyed.

"Whoa..." Syrus' eyes went wide.

"That's not the worst of it..." The commander was yelling at the ship's command staff for a damage report and almost everyone was dead except for a guy with blue skin. "That's still not the worst part of this, Sy," Annie whispered, gripping his hand.

Syrus wondered how anything could be worse than so many people dying, and returned the tightened grip. They watched the commander make his way to his quarters where he found his son and his now-dead wife. His son was hurt, but alive. Even so, the commander wouldn't leave her. He had to be dragged from the room, kicking and screaming, "DAMMIT, WE JUST CAN'T LEAVE HER HERE!" Syrus bit his bottom lip, finding this a lot sadder than he thought it would be. 'I'd be like that if that were Annie; I wouldn't want to leave her…' he thought. Annie looked at him, thinking much the same thing.

The couple watched the episode together and Annie patiently explained anything Sy wanted to know about the episode and the aliens. She worried he would get bored or that he didn't like the show and was lying through his teeth to keep her happy. However, she needn't have worried. He found himself really getting into the show and wanting to know more about it.

"Wow...this is pretty cool, Annie. I can see why you're so into it," he said.

"Yeah..." They watched the nearly two-hour episode and Annie sniffled a bit when the aliens that the Bajoran people revered as gods helped the commander come to terms with his wife's death and prevent the space station from being destroyed. "That is so awesome..." Annie said.

"Yeah. That was amazing, Annie."

"Yeah...want to watch some more?" she asked. "Jayda, do we have the season 6 set?"

Jayda checked. "Yeah, why?"

"I think we need a funny episode..."

"Sure! These are cool, Annie!!" Syrus said, very intrigued now.

"All right, Sy! I've made you a Niner!" Annie said as Jayda handed her the set of DVDs. Annie picked one and handed it to Jayda. "Okay, this episode is called 'The Magnificent Ferengi...' This is hilarious!"

"Great! I need a good laugh," he replied, grinning excitedly.

And so they watched as seven unlikely heroes went to rescue a woman from some bad guys...all while almost totally clueless. "They can't even shoot their phasers!" Annie laughed, watching the unlikely protagonists go through a bizarre training simulation.

"Wow. They really ARE clueless!" They watched the episode to the very end, laughing until they cried as a prisoner exchange went terribly wrong. The unlikely heroes successfully completed their mission and everything ended happily.

"Thanks for watching with me, Sy," Annie said and yawned tiredly. "I'm glad you don't mind Star Trek and are willing to sit through a few episodes."

Syrus was glad he had enjoyed the show because now he didn't have to lie to spare Annie's feelings. "I really liked the show, Annie. I'd like to watch more with you. But would you like to watch a favorite anime show of mine?" he asked curiously.

"Sure, what is it?" she asked, intrigued.

"'The Adventures of Mana, the Dark Magician Girl,'" he said, blushing slightly. When he was younger, it seemed that only girls had watched the show. However, ever since the day he'd met Dark Magician girl at the age of 5, he loved seeing anything with the pretty mage and her sister monsters, White Magician Pikeru, Magician's Valkyria and the others. "I…I know it's a girl's show, but I love it all the same…"

"Syrus…it's okay. And Dark Magician Girl is pretty tough. Why should you think it's a bad thing to enjoy the show? We'll watch it together and enjoy it, okay?" she said. "Doesn't it show her as a superhero?"

"Yeah, a magical girl. She's kind of like Sailor Moon," he explained, blushing a little bit. "Her name is Mana Mihama, and one day she gets this magical pendant that gives her the power to transform into a mage named Dark Magician Girl. She fights crime and also tries to find out more about the ancient magician she turns into. She also meets a young man named Shou Marufuji that she falls in love with. He's…well he's sort of like me. Until Mana came along, girls didn't pay attention to him and guys beat him up. Would you like to watch the first episode?" he asked.

Annie nodded eagerly. "Yeah, let's do it and maybe we could watch Episode 2!"

"All right, you two. Luckily we have all five seasons of the series, so you kids can watch all you want," Jayda said cheerfully. "This is the dub, so I hope you don't mind…"

Sy shook his head. "I started with the dub and I like both of them. I know they're different, but I think they stayed faithful to the heart of the story."

"Yeah?" Annie asked curiously.

"Yeah, that love and friendship can triumph over evil," he answered.

They listened to the opening theme song called "Magical Escape," and were soon engrossed in the first episode…

--Episode 1 of The Adventures of Mana-- "OH NO! I'm late for class again! Miss Yagi's going to make me stand out in the hall again!" Mana shouted as she headed down the street toward Shibuya High School. There were two things she could do. Go all the way around the buildings and be late, or cut through the upcoming alley and maybe get there on time. "I'll cut through the alley! I can't have another tardy!" she groaned. "Mom will cut my allowance!" She picked up the pace and began running not looking carefully at her surroundings.

Suddenly, a large man dressed in black and holding a baseball bat stepped out of the shadows in front of her. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Another man in torn jeans and a grimy white shirt stepped behind her, swinging a chain around. "Looks like a little schoolgirl who's late for class..."

She gasped. "W-Who are you? I don't want any trouble and... and... WAH!!" she cried. The two men blinked in slight surprise, not expecting her to just start bawling like that.

Then, the one in black smirked. "Don't worry, little girl. We won't hurt you if you just hand over that schoolbag of yours..."he stated, stepping forward.

"B-but there's nothing in there that's valuable to you! And I need my homework!"

However, his friend wasn't listening. "Hey! He told you to give him that bag you little brat!!" The man behind her yelled, swinging the chain he held in her direction. However, rather than hit her, it ended up wrapping along the shaft of a long, green staff that got in its way. Mana had closed her eyes, anticipating the blow. But now she opened her blue eyes to see a young man in a strange purple costume with big gray eyes.

"Who's that?" she gasped. The man glanced at her, then returned his attention to the man he'd stopped.

"Hey! Who do you think you are?!" the thug growled. He tried getting his weapon loose, to no avail.

The man with the staff gave it a quick tug, pulling the thug over before giving him a swift punch to the face. "Attacking innocent women is unforgivable. You both should be ashamed of your actions." Mana watched, eyes wide. This young man was shorter than she was, but he was braver. She trembled a little. The punch was delivered with enough strength to send the thug flying into a group of trash cans, knocking him out.

"Hey you pipsqueak! You'll pay for that!!" The other thug yelled, swinging his baseball bat at him. The young man turned and knocked the weapon out of the thug's hands with his staff, then delivered a swift kick to his head. This sent the second thug into the same group of trash cans as the other one, knocking him out as well.

Mana got up on shaky legs from where she'd been cowering. "T-thank you...whoever you are..."

The man turned to her, staring at her with eyes that seemed could look through one's very soul. "I am Dark Magician," he stated simply, nodding his head in greeting. "And you are?" She got lost in his stormy eyes.

"My name's Mana Mihama..."

His eyes widened in surprise; the girl's name was the name of the person he'd been searching for. "Your name is Mana??" he asked, reaching into his cloak.

She nodded. "Yeah...I totally can't believe what you just did."

"Never mind that. Here, take this." He stated quickly, handing her a pink and blue heart-shaped pendant about the size of her palm.

"What's this?" she asked, holding it.

"It will allow you to transform into Dark Magician Girl," he answered simply.

Suddenly, the pendant glowed, and then a pink Winged Kuriboh flew out of it. "Kuri!!"

"Oh, my! Who's this? You're awfully cute!" she exclaimed.

"That is Fubuki. He will help you when needed and lives within the pendant," he explained. Then, the orb on Dark Magician's staff glowed and he frowned. "I'm afraid that I must go. But we will meet again, Mana," he stated bluntly before jumping up and flying out of the alley.

"Uh...how do I use this thing?!" Mana called after him. She ran out of the alley and bumped into a boy about Dark Magician's height. "Oof! Watch where you're...going?!" She was on the ground and looked up at him. The boy held the same storm-gray eyes that Dark Magician had, but looked far less intimidating.

"Hey, you ran into me..."he replied shakily, glaring at her.

"Sorry about that," she apologized and then noticed his uniform. "Oh, you go to Shibuya, too? I'm Mana Mihama and I'm a sophomore there. How about you? I haven't seen you before."

He helped her up before he spoke. "I'm Shou Marufuji. I just transferred here from another school. I'm a sophomore, too," he added.

"Oh, great!" And then she looked down. She had a cut on one leg that was bleeding onto her white sock. "Oh, noooo! My uniform sock..." And then she heard the bell ring. "Oh, NOOOOOOO!" she cried, letting loose with tears, anime style. "I'm late AGAIN!!"

Shou blinked a few times, worried he'd done something wrong. "Uh...do you need help to the nurse's office?" he asked.

"Yeah...My mom's gonna be mad, though...I'm late to school again...but it wasn't my fault for once..."

"You probably got hurt when you fell...I'm sure your mother will understand."

"I hope so..." She shivered and limped a little bit as they headed toward school.

"Sorry that I can't carry you like most guys...I never really hit my growth spurt..." he apologized.

"It's all right," she answered, noticing how cute he was with his fluffy purple hair and square-framed glasses. 'He's cute...'

Shou held open the front door for her. "I'm sure the nurse will give you a pass...so you won't get in trouble for being late."

"Y-yeah..."

"MANA MIHAMA!" shouted the principal, Narue Nanase. Mana shivered. "Late again!" The principal had long blonde hair and blue eyes. She also wore a blue dress with many pink ruffles.

Shou sweat-dropped, and stepped forward a bit nervously. "Uh, m-ma'am, it wasn't her fault..." he began.

"And why is that, Mr. Marufuji?" the principal asked, enraged.

Shou shrank a little. "Um, well, I...ran into her. She wouldn't have been late if I hadn't knocked her down...she even got injured..."

"B-but..." Mana turned pale and sank to the floor.

"Miss Mihama...Nurse!" Principal Nanase called out. A woman with frizzy orange hair and blue eyes came running down the hallway dressed in a school nurse's outfit. It was Aiko Fujiwara, the school nurse; but most of the students and teachers called her Nurse. "Oh, now what happened to Mana??"

"Something happened...Probably the usual chaos..." Nanase sighed.

Aiko kneeled beside Mana and flipped her onto her side, easily spotting the cut on her leg. "Looks like she tripped again..."she stated. Shou was about to say that he ran into her again, but the nurse interrupted him. "Young man, could you help me carry her to the infirmary?" she asked.

He blinked. "Uh, well, I mean..."

"Just help her, Marufuji. Mana is pretty light," Nanase commented.

"Er, okay..." he replied. Together, he and Aiko lifted Mana and started carrying her down the hallway. Shou was obviously struggling with his end. Fortunately, the nurse's office wasn't too far down the hall, and they got her there quickly. The nurse bandaged Mana's injury and let her lay in a bed.

"Oooh..." Mana moaned softly.

Shou decided to stay with her, and nervously fidgeted in his seat. "M-Mana? Are you awake??"

"Yeah...Shou, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah...you passed out..."

"Great. Was that in front of Principal Nanase?"

"Uh...yeah."

"Oh...did you try to take the blame, because it wasn't your fault I got hurt. Someone tried to mug me..."

He blinked in surprise. "What??"

"Yeah...these two creeps...they wanted my school bag..."

"But then...how did you get away?"

"I was saved by a young man in a purple costume..."

"A man in a...purple costume?"

"Yeah...he said his name was Dark Magician..."

"Really? That's funny...there's a Duel Monsters card with that name."

"Yeah. He saved me, but he didn't look exactly like the card..."

"What was different about him?" Shou asked curiously.

"He had...these haunting eyes...like yours..." she said as she drifted off in exhaustion. The pendant was in her pocket and it glowed. –End Episode 1—

"That was great, Sy," Annie smiled and yawned. She was feeling worn out again as the credits rolled.

A second yawn followed the first, though this time it had come from Syrus. "Looks like we're both a little tired..." He was beginning to drift off perhaps largely due to the fact that he'd been emotionally drained.

"Let's just stay here..." she murmured, eyes closing.

Wisely, Jayda quietly removed the DVD from the player as the two kids fell asleep together. "Just relax, you two..." she said softly. They would watch Episode 2 later…

_So Sy and Annie have had a peaceful time at the hospital which is good for both of them. But what of our other couples and families? How is their rest time going? Next time in Summer Love, Summer Fears, we focus back on the Rhodes residence and Jaden reveals something. Until then, read and review! Thank you!_


	26. Rocky Rhodes

Chapter XXVI: Rocky Rhodes

_Hello again from the authoress duo of Peach and 15animefreak15. Again we're glad at the warm response our story has gotten. All of you readers and reviewers make writing a story that was fun to us even more fun! So thanks to all of you!_

_Last time, Annie and Sy enjoyed a mini-marathon of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and The Adventures of Mana, the Dark Magician Girl. Sy worried over Annie and Annie asked God for more time with Sy if her time was short. So what will happen next? Just stick around and we'll show you!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 only own their OCs, non-established characters, their interpretations and this idea. **_

_Authors' Note: This chapter mentions a secret Jaden has kept from his friends._

A couple of hours after Sy and Annie fell asleep after their mini-marathon, Jaden Yuki slowly woke up. He couldn't remember where he was at first, but then he realized he was cuddled next to a warm female form. Alexis was still asleep, her breathing light as she snuggled deeper into Jaden's warm chest. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him as if she was worried that she'd lose him if she let go.

'Huh? I'm...oh, yeah...' Jaden remembered. "Lex?" he whispered softly.

She mumbled a bit, coming out of her dreamland a little. "Yeah...Jaden..."

"I think we need to get up...I wonder how Annie and Sy are..."

"Hmmm...just five more minutes, Mom..." she mumbled, slipping off again into sleep.

"Lex, c'mon...I don't sound like your mom," Jaden grinned, moving to tickle under her armpits.

The corner of Alexis' mouth twitched, then she giggled, and finally squirmed awake. "All right, all right! I'm up!!" she gasped out between laughs.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, smiling as she turned over to face him. "Feel better, Lex?"

"Yeah. But did you have to tickle me?" she asked through a yawn.

"I wasn't sure how to wake you up...And Sy had to use an air horn on me once..."

Alexis blinked. "Wow, Jaden. I'm glad I didn't wake up first. Who knows what I would've had to use to wake you up."

Jaden grinned. "Well, this is my first time sleeping in the same bed with a girl...and my fiancée at that," he blushed.

Alexis blushed as well. "Same here, though I have slept in the same bed with my dad and brother before. But they're family."

"I slept in the same bed with Bastion once..." Alexis blinked and stared at him with wide-eyes. Jaden realized he'd just made a major blooper. "We were having a sleepover..."

Alexis let out a sigh of relief. "Good. For a minute there I thought...well, you know," she blushed harder.

"Um...oops!" Jaden blushed. "No, I am not into Bastion...not even for a dare... Okay, that sounded wrong," he said, starting to laugh.

Alexis laughed along with him. "That's good, because I don't think Violet would be too happy."

"Wonder how she's doing? I hope she's feeling better..."

"Yeah. I still can't believe all the stuff she went through. At least Bastion won't do the same thing Mike did," she replied as she climbed out of bed.

"Yeah," Jaden scowled as he got out too. "What a jerk...Man, if anybody tried that on you, I'd get Flame Wingman or Neos to kick his butt!"

Alexis laughed. "I'm sure that you'd find a way, Jaden. I wonder if Atty and Chazz are up yet...where did Chazz sleep, anyway?"

"With Atticus...it was your brother's idea..." Jaden said.

Alexis laughed a little. "That's just like him. You think we should..." she grinned mischievously, "…go and give them a little wake-up call?"

Jaden grinned back. "Let's do it...Lex, you are evil!"

"Hey, Atty's not the only one in the family who can be evil, you know." They crossed the hallway and went into the opposing bedroom, where the two brothers were still snoring away.

"The Chazz...kicks butt...Victory is mine...die, vile monster!" Chazz said in his sleep.

"Don't worry...there's enough...autographs for everyone...cuties..." mumbled Atticus.

Alexis grinned at Jaden. "How should we do it?" she whispered.

"What are you thinking?" Jaden asked equally softly.

"Well, we could bang pots and pans, use my dad's air horn, or just yell something scary enough that they'll run out of the room in their boxers."

Jaden smiled. "Let's do the last one. Chazz didn't use his ear plugs this morning."

Alexis blinked. "He has ear plugs?" They had positioned themselves right at the front of the bed.

"Yeah...something about his deck keeping him awake at night...Ah, well...What's scary enough to wake up Atticus?"

Alexis thought for a moment. "I know. That all of his fan girls left him for Zane," she smirked.

"Oh, good move. I've got just the one for Chazz...the other one I know won't work anymore..."

"Oh really? And what's that??" she asked curiously.

"That you're marrying me..." Jaden grinned. "The one I can use, however, is that..." He covered his mouth as he was starting to giggle uncontrollably.

"I'll hear it when you say it, Jaden. All right. One...two...three...ATTY!! IT'S TERRIBLE!! ALL OF YOUR FAN GIRLS HAVE LEFT YOU FOR ZANE!! THEY THINK HE'S MORE SMEXY!!" she yelled, even using his favorite word.

And Jaden yelled, "CHAZZ! DR. CROWLER'S RUNNING AROUND THE ACADEMY IN HIS UNDERWEAR AND HE THINKS YOU'RE HIS GIRLFRIEND!"

Atticus's eyes snapped open. "WHAT?! NO!! Wait, cuties! Don't go to him!! I'M the Master of Love!!" he yelled as he leapt from the bed and ran out of the room in nothing but his white boxers with red hearts.

Chazz woke up and screamed like a little girl. He ran from the room wearing his gray shorty pajamas looking absolutely terrified. "Wait a minute...we're not at Duel Academy! JADEN!" he yelled, running back at the other boy.

Jaden was cracking up. "Oh, man! That was great, Lex!"

Atticus heard Chazz's yell, and went back upstairs to see the couple laughing. "Wait...so I still have my fan girls, right??"

Alexis was laughing even harder than Jaden. "Yeah, Atty, you still have them! But Jaden, yours was hilarious!!"

Chazz had, by this moment, grabbed his future brother-in-law in a friendly headlock. "It's everybody's worst nightmare!" Jaden said, laughing.

"No, the worst nightmare is him naked!" Chazz countered.

Atticus grinned. "You two little sneaks. We'll get you for that, right bro?"

Alexis was grinning as well. "Yeah, right! Jaden and I will always be two steps ahead of you!!"

"Not if we team up against you, right, big bro?" Chazz countered his sister, laughing. "The Rhodes brothers will Chatticus you up!"

Atticus smirked. "Of course, little bro! We'll show the future royalty of games what real mischief is like!!"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "All right then, looks like a war is on. Why don't we go get some breakfast before someone pulls out a squirt gun?"

Jaden looked at the clock..."Wow, we slept a while, guys...It's more like a late lunch..." The clock read 1:30 PM.

Chazz grinned. "Yeah, you'd know that, wouldn't you, slacker? You always know golden eggwich day...when Dorothy makes those really good rice balls and pastries...when Professor Sartyr is making that stew..."

"Chazz, you're making me hungry!"

"You're always hungry, Jaden!"

Alexis and Atticus locked eyes for a moment. "What if Lexi and I made the Rhodes Lunch Special?" he offered.

"And our little bro can help out if he wants!" she added.

"Um...okay," Chazz said. "But I don't know what that is...I've got a lot to learn, don't I?"

Jaden grinned. "You did when you became a Slifer, bro!"

"Don't remind me...geez..."

Alexis and Atticus laughed as everyone went downstairs to the kitchen. "Jaden, you just sit and watch. This is a job for the Rhodes siblings!" stated Atticus, striking a mock-heroic pose.

Alexis was gathering things from the refrigerator. "Don't worry, Chazz. We'll show you the ropes..."

Chazz grinned sheepishly. 'This is so much better than being in a big house where your brothers get mad at you...' Out loud however, he said, "Okay, guys...Jaden, just sit down, all right?"

Jaden nodded. "Probably a good idea. Remember the last time I tried to help out with cooking in the dorms?"

"Don't remind me...It involved an exploding blender..." the raven haired boy explained to his siblings.

Alexis shook her head. "Atty did the same thing. Except it also included the toaster."

Atticus sweat-dropped. "Hey! I'm a lot better, now, Lexi!!" The two had set out various lunch meats, cheese, bread, and condiments on the counter.

"Um...so what can I do?" Chazz asked, eager to help.

"Let your creativity flow into a masterpiece, little bro!" stated Atticus. Chazz looked confused.

Alexis sighed. "He means try and make the coolest sandwiches you can think of!" she explained. Atticus had already started laying slice after slice of ham on his sandwich, while Alexis spread mayonnaise on the one she was working on.

"Okay...Jaden, what do you want?" Chazz asked.

"Everything!" Jaden said happily.

"Okay...you asked for it..." Chazz took a slice of white bread and placed every single type of lunch meat and condiment, including jalapeno spread. Then he handed the sandwich to Jaden. Then Chazz made himself a salami and pepperoni sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mayo. "Yum...I love this kind of sandwich..." he said contentedly.

Atticus had a triple-decker sandwich with everything on it and Alexis had a simple ham, lettuce, tomato, and mayo sandwich. "You two always have to eat twice your weight, don't you?" she asked jokingly.

Atticus and squashed down his sandwich so that it could fit into his mouth. "We just like to eat, Lexi!"

Jaden grinned, taking one bite of his sandwich. He smiled...and then gradually turned red. Steam came out of his ears, his eyes bugged, and then... "HHHHHHHHHHHOT!" he yelled, flames shooting from his mouth. He ran and drank what seemed like a gallon of water, and said, "Wow..."

"Oops..." Chazz said innocently.

"Man, Chazz...that was awesome!" Jaden said delightedly as Chazz sweat-dropped. "Long live the Rhodes lunch special!"

"Yeah!" agreed the siblings.

They'd all finished eating, and Alexis realized they were still in their pajamas and underwear. "Uh, guys? Maybe we should get some clothes on..."

Jaden nodded. "Yeah, good idea...We're going to have to call Hassleberry and Rosa. Guys...I have a bad feeling about this..."

"Jaden...Kisara said Annie's okay..."

"For now, Chazz...I've seen that look on Mom's face before..."

Alexis frowned. "Well, after we get dressed we'll call Hassleberry and Rosa. Then we'll all go to the hospital to check on Annie and Syrus, all right?" she offered.

Atticus nodded. "Sounds like a good idea to me, Lexi. And I place dibs on first shower!" he yelled, running upstairs.

Alexis clenched her fists. "Atty! I need a shower, too!!" she yelled.

"Glad I got mine already..." Jaden said, and Chazz nodded.

"Jaden...what do you mean? Do you think something's wrong?"

"Chazz...my mom's a cancer doctor and I've seen her try not to worry little kids who are facing really bad things." Jaden sighed. "I know that look...and Kisara had it..."

"You don't think Annie's..."

"No, but she's facing something really bad..."

Alexis sighed sadly. "Well, let's just hope that it can be cured, okay? For Syrus' sake, at least..." She left the kitchen and started to head upstairs to wait for Atticus to finish his shower.

"Yeah..." Jaden was quiet for a moment. "Alexis? Do you know when your mom has that look?" he asked as she was leaving the kitchen.

Alexis stopped in the doorway. "Yeah...I guess when you've known someone long enough, you can just tell..."

"Yeah..." And then, as Alexis headed up the stairs and the other two boys did with their fresh clothes, they heard something...

"WHAT IS THAT?" Jaden and Chazz yelped.

"It sounds like Ojama Yellow...kind of..." the raven-haired duelist said.

Alexis quickly came back downstairs and handed them ear plugs. "Every time Atticus takes a shower, we wear these. The whole family has a pair-- these are Mom's and Dad's."

"I can hear why, sis..." Chazz said. Atticus was singing "Shake Your Groove Thing" at the top of his lungs.

"Man...you can't fault his enthusiasm," Jaden commented.

"Mom tried to at least get him to take singing lessons, but he said his singing voice was fine," Alexis groaned, giving a sigh of relief when the song finally ended because Atticus was done with his shower.

"Has he ever tried out for American Idol?" Jaden and Chazz asked at the same time.

Alexis blinked. "Actually...he was going to this year. He wasn't old enough until now. They have an age limit, remember? Eighteen to thirty or something...anyway, I've got to take my shower now. And don't worry, I can actually sing well," she explained, going upstairs.

Jaden and Chazz said, "Have a good shower, Alexis," and went to the guest room to get their clothes on.

"I didn't know how nice it was to have brothers and sisters until I came to Duel Academy..." Jaden said.

"I didn't realize until now how nice it was to have people like you for you," Chazz said.

The door of the guest room opened to reveal Atticus, dressed in a black T-shirt, tan khaki shorts, and brown sandals. "Hey, guys! Did you like my singing or what?" he asked, grinning. Meanwhile, Alexis had gotten into the shower, sighing in relief as the warm water washed over her. She always felt motivated to sing during this time, and it was the only place she ever did so. So, Alexis began singing one of her favorite songs, "Listen to Your Heart".

Jaden and Chazz had been trying to sugarcoat an answer for Atticus when Alexis started singing. "Is that...Alexis?" Jaden asked, amazed.

"Wow..." Chazz said.

Atticus grinned. "That's my sister! You see why I thought we'd make a great pop singing duo? We both have rockin' voices! It runs in the family," Atticus explained, striking one of his usual poses.

Jaden smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, that'd really be something, Atticus..."

"Yeah, something..." Chazz said.

"Of course it would be!" The singing stopped, and a few moments later Alexis poked her head around the door.

"You guys still aren't dressed? And people say girls take a long time to get ready..."

"Dude, we're in our underpants!" Jaden said, laughing. He pulled on his own khaki shorts and a new blue polo top.

Chazz pulled on some black shorts and a red t-shirt. "There, happy, bro?"

Atticus grinned. "You guys look great! Now we just have to wait for Lexi." Alexis sighed and went back to her own room, slipping on a pair of blue jean capris and a purple sleeveless belly shirt.

"Alexis? You ready?" Jaden called.

"Yeah! Coming!!" she called. Alexis ran a brush through her long, blonde hair a few times, slipped on a pair of purple flip-flops, and went out into the hallway. "All set. Should we call Hassleberry here or at the hospital?" she asked.

"Here, I think..." Jaden answered. "Man, I hate this..." His expression turned frustrated. "I hate not knowing, and I hate not being able to do anything!"

Alexis frowned. "Jaden, calm down. Everything will be fine..."

Atticus nodded. "Come on, Jay. Annie wouldn't want you to be going nuts over this."

Jaden sighed. "I'd go nuts if it was any of you. There was one time years ago...something really bad happened that I couldn't stop."

"Huh? What are you talking about, Jaden??" asked Alexis.

"Well...I've never told anybody about this except Mom and Dad...but I had this card...she was my friend but anytime I'd lose a duel...she'd get mean...really mean..."

"Wait, how could a card do anything?" Atticus asked, confused.

"She was a duel spirit...and her name was Yubel..." Jaden swallowed. She'd been his favorite monster, but he was afraid of her and what she might do if she ever returned.

"Jaden..." Chazz placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, worried.

Alexis frowned and looked Jaden in the eyes. "But...I thought duel spirits were harmless."

"Not all of them, Lex..." Jaden shuddered. "Yubel had some kind of powers and when I lost a duel...she'd hurt my opponents. No one would play with me anymore. Until Sy and you guys, I didn't have friends for years. I was always the weird kid whose deck went psycho."

"But Jaden, that's in the past, right? You don't have that card anymore, and we're all here for you," explained Alexis. She stepped forward and pulled him into a gentle, reassuring hug.

"But I sent this deck up and I sent her too. What if she comes back?" Jaden asked, fear in his eyes.

"We'll make sure she doesn't hurt anyone! Not just us three, but the others, too!!" Atticus asserted.

Jaden swallowed. "I...don't want you guys to get hurt..."

"Don't worry, Jaden. We'll look out for each other. Yubel won't be able to lay a hand on any of us as long as we're together," explained Alexis.

Jaden nodded, but still looked worried. "Let's call Hassleberry. Rosa's parents are coming today..."

"Oh yeah, that's right! I wonder how they'll understand each other," Atticus wondered as they went downstairs.

"I'm sure they learned some English, Atty," Alexis replied, sweat-dropping.

"But doesn't Hassleberry know Spanish?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah!" Jaden said. "Yo quiero Taco Bell!" he said enthusiastically.

Alexis sighed. "Well, anyway, who wants to talk first?" she asked as she grabbed the phone and dialed the number.

Jaden sighed. "I'd better...Unless...do you guys have a speaker phone?!"

"Yeah!" Atticus grinned, pressing a button on the phone to enable the speaker.

"Good thinking, Jaden," Alexis complimented as the phone called Hassleberry's house.

Miles away in Texas... "I'LL GET IT!" Hassleberry yelled happily, running for the phone. His mom and dad had driven to the airport to get Rosa's parents and the kids were alone in the house. It was 3:30 in the afternoon.

Rosa blinked, looking up from where she and Hassleberry had been having an old-fashioned duel at the kitchen table. "You do not have to yell...I am right here."

"Sorry, Spanish Rose...Hello?" Hassleberry said.

"Hey, Hassleberry!" came Jaden's voice, slightly distorted. "Is Rosa with you?"

Rosa stood and grabbed the second phone. "Si. Hola, Senor Jaden!" she greeted happily.

"Hey, Rosa!"

"Hi, Rosa and Hassleberry!" came Chazz's voice, also sounding a bit funny.

Hassleberry grinned. "Hey, Sarge! Hey, Private Chazz! You guys sound funny!"

"We're all on a speaker phone!" Jaden explained. "Say hi, guys!"

Hassleberry grinned. "Hey, Sarge! Hey, Private Chazz! You guys sound funny!" "We're all on a speaker phone!" Jaden explained. "Say hi, guys!"

"Hi!" they cheered.

Rosa smiled. "So then, how is Senorita Annie? And Senorita Violet?" she asked.

"We have to check on Violet, but she caught a cold last night...You guys missed some really sweet mushy stuff..." Jaden said.

"Yeah...who'd have thought Bastion Misawa could be such a mush ball?" Chazz observed.

"Well, that's one way to put it," stated Alexis, laughing a little.

Rosa turned and looked at Hassleberry questioningly. "Mush ball...?"

"It means he's a real softie, darlin'," Hassleberry explained. "So what's the girls' status? Are they still in the sick barracks or what?"

Jaden took a breath. "Violet went home to take a rest with Bastion...Kisara made all of us do that...Oh, yeah, that's the other thing! Yugi and his friends and his wife and their families stayed with us last night...but..." Jaden paused, trying to steady himself.

"But?" Rosa could tell that the coming news wouldn't be good and wanted to get it out of the way quickly.

"Annie...had another attack last night...and...it seemed like it was a bad one...Kisara said she was okay...but...she's not sure Annie is..." Jaden said, gripping Alexis's hand.

Alexis squeezed Jaden's hand reassuringly. Meanwhile, Rosa was shocked, and had to sit back down in her chair. "She is not going to..." she began, unable to say it.

"I don't know..." Jaden's voice came over the phone.

Hassleberry moved over to Rosa's side, putting his arm around her. "Darlin'...Sarge, if she says Annie's okay, what makes you think she might not be?"

"Kisara had...the look on her face... My mom gets it..."

Hassleberry put his arm around Rosa. "The look? Sarge, I don't understand..."

"I understand. Mi papa always got a certain look and I knew the suitor would not become mi fiancé. It must be the same for Senor Jaden's mama, but for bad things instead," Rosa explained, frowning.

"Kind of, Rosa," Chazz said. He was growing to understand what "the look" was. "Doctors get this look, apparently, when they want to tell their kids one thing, and they know something else..."

"The same thing happens for our mom," added Alexis.

Rosa sighed. "I hope it is not anything too bad..."

"We're going to go to the hospital and check on Sy and Annie...Sy wouldn't leave Annie's side for anything," Jaden said. "We'll also find out how Violet's doing...She got feeling pretty nasty and lost her voice waking us up..."

"Sarge, keep us posted, okay?"

"Got it..."

Rosa heard a car pull into the driveway, and glanced out the window to see their parents. "Oh! Lo siento, Senor Jaden, but we have to go. Mis padres are here!" Rosa stated, smiling.

"The San Diego baseball team?" Jaden asked.

"Her parents, you moron!" Chazz growled.

"All right, guys. We'll be sure to call if anything else happens," stated Alexis.

"Thanks, Private Lexi!" Hassleberry said. "Pray the Great General lets Rosa's daddy like me..."

"Good luck, man! The Master of Love's rooting for you!" replied Atticus. They could hear some yelled greetings before the phone hung-up.

"Thanks, Private Atticus! Bye, now..."

"Good luck, Hassleberry...Man, that sounded dumb...'The baseball team...'" Jaden groaned.

Alexis giggled and ruffled Jaden's messy hair. "I thought it was funny. Don't worry, Jaden. We all have trouble sometimes."

_And there we have it! Next time, Hassleberry meets Rosa's parents! So what will happen? You'll just have to stay tuned to see! Read and review, everyone! Thank you!_


	27. Speak and Destroy

Chapter XXVII: Speak and Destroy

_Greetings again, everyone! Thank you again for the words of encouragement. We both appreciate your support! And a big thank you to Agent of the Divine One for the chapter title! And now for those of you who have been waiting for more Hassleberry and Rosa, your wait is over! You're going to see what life is like in Crawford, Texas for a certain Ra Yellow Texas boy. Also this is part of a two-chapter arc. Enjoy!_

_So, last time, Jaden told his fiancée and future brothers-in-law about Yubel instead of waiting for some horrible disaster to tell them or for them to find out. And they called Hassleberry and Rosa to brief the couple in Texas about Annie and Violet. Now what mayhem will happen when our Ra Yellow boy meets his girlfriend? Just stick around and we'll show you!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. We just own our OCs and non-established characters. Enjoy!**_

Back in Texas... "We're home, kids!" Dean Hassleberry yelled.

"Hey, Dad!" Tyson Hassleberry shouted back, and then...he was face to face with...he couldn't rightly call the Jimenezes the enemy...

Jose Jimenez stood tall at six feet, muscled arms hidden under a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He also wore blue jeans and brown loafers, which set off his mud brown hair and ocean blue eyes. Josephina Jimenez stood much shorter at only 5'6", and was lean like her daughter. She wore a dress a few shades darker than her husband's eyes and a pair of black sandals. Josephina's hair was a longer version of her daughter's, and her eyes were a calming green.

"Mama! Papa!" Rosa cheered happily. She ran over and hugged them, not having seen them for a long time.

"Hola, me llamo Jose Jimenez." Jose said, reaching out his hand to bone-crushingly shake the boy's hand.

"Papa...Inglés!" whispered Rosa.

"Eh? Oh! Hello, I'm Jose Jimenez. Sorry." Rosa groaned.

"Es no problemo. Yo hablo Español, Senor Jimenez. Es Texas," General Hassleberry answered.

Rosa's jaw dropped and she turned to glare at Hassleberry. "Ah, bien! Eh? Rosa?? Where are tu going, chica?" called Jose. Rosa ignored her father and continued dragging Hassleberry out of the room...by his ear.

"What'd I do?" Tyson asked in shock. Rosa stopped in an empty room and finally released her fiancé's now-throbbing ear.

"You never told me that your papa spoke Español! I worked hard to teach Papa some last-minute Inglés!!"

"I didn't even think about it, darlin,' and I'm sorry..."

Rosa sighed and her eyes softened, since even with her legendary temper she couldn't stay mad at her dinosaur-obsessed boyfriend. "Es alright, Ty-Ty. I forgive you." Rosa grinned, calling him by a new pet name, a play on what she thought was his name, Tyranno.

He blushed. "Can I give you some classified information, my Spanish Rose?" He flushed at his own daring.

Rosa blinked in surprise. "Of course, Ty-Ty."

He swallowed. "I'll tell you before Mama tells you...My legal name is Tyson but I've gone by Tyranno. I'm sorry for not tellin' you before, darlin'...Rosa...I guess I just didn't like it..."

Rosa grinned and kissed Tyson's cheek happily. "How cute! I love it, Ty-Ty!! Now, maybe I should tell you mi real nombre..."

He smiled. "I'd be honored, Spanish Rose..."

"Well, mi full nombre es...Rosadina Terelino Jimenez-Rodriguez." Rosa sweat-dropped, always having hated how long her name was.

"Your mama's last name was Rodriguez? I think your name is... hermosa..." he said, using the word for beautiful.

Rosa blushed. "Oh, gracias, Ty-Ty. Though, I never really liked it. It is too long."

"Well...my middle name's Schwarzkopf...that's hard to spell..." he said, blushing.

Rosa's eyes widened and she couldn't help but laugh a little. "I guess that our padres gave us some strange nombres, no?"

"Yeah...Dad just had to give me a general's name. He served under the man…but I think yours is gorgeous..."

Rosa blushed, unused to getting complimented. "Oh, you silly boy! You are making me blush." She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, high heels allowing her to touch noses with him.

"Aw, shucks..." the teen boy grinned. "I'll have to take you on a walk through the neighborhood, darlin'...We've got some interestin' neighbors. And we could just relax for a bit..." Rosa sighed lightly, remembering the scenery outside. It was mostly desert, though grass and other plants had been grown to make it look nicer. Rosa was more used to the wide open fields of grass and flowers back in her hometown of Calientara. As if reading her thoughts, Tyson smiled. "Down the road, there's some more greenery. We have to fight stuff a bit more...It'll be okay, Rosa, darlin'..."

Rosa smiled, glad that Tyson always knew just how to make her feel better. "That is bien, Ty-Ty. Though, even if we were in the middle of el desert with no grass or flowers...just having you would be enough," explained Rosa, resting her head against his strong chest.

He blushed. "Rosa, darlin', you know how to tempt an all-American boy, don't you?"

"Heh, Ty-Ty, it does not take un foreign chica to know how to make un chico of any cultura blush. It is un secret we all know...including our own mamas," she explained teasingly.

"Yeah, but..." he said, swallowing.

"But? Is something the matter, Ty-Ty?? You can tell me," she said worriedly.

"I was gonna say...they're not you..."

"Of course they are not! Just like our papas are not you, either. No one could ever replace either of us, Ty-Ty." Suddenly, there was a flash, and Rosa looked over to see the two mothers standing in the doorway.

Josephina was holding a camera. "Oh, look at mi niña! She is growing up," Josephina stated tearfully.

"Mama! Dios mio..." groaned Rosa.

"Howdy, Senora Jimenez," Tyson said, flushing but smiling.

"Hola, Tyson! Oh, you two are just so cute together!! Aren't they, Senora Hassleberry?" exclaimed Josephina, grinning. Rosa was muttering something unintelligible in Spanish under her breath, face flushed with embarrassment.

"Oh, my darlin' boy's growin' up..." Lily Hassleberry grinned. "It seems it was only yesterday he was headin' down the road to trick or treat at the Prairie Chapel Ranch in his little T-Rex costume..."

"MAMA!!" Tyson groaned, flushing. _She just had to bring that up_, he thought.

Rosa snickered lightly, finding the image adorable. "Oh, I know exactly what tu mean. Rosadina looked so cute en her pequeño Dia de Los Muertes dress and covered en sweet bread crumbs," explained Josephina.

"MAMA!! AY, AY, AY!!"

"You want to take that walk now, darlin'?" Tyson asked.

"Si, I think that would be for the best," Rosa replied. Who knew what else their mothers might blurt out?

And so the young couple walked out of the ranch doors and out to the road. "I can't drive just yet, Rosa; I have to test for my license. I hope you don't mind walkin'..."

"No, no, it's fine. Almost no one drives in mi town. It's unnecessary. So, I'm used to walking. Besides, tu can see the scenery better." Rosa was resting her head on Tyson's well-muscled right arm, her own toned arms wrapped around it. He pulled her a bit closer, smiling.

They walked for several minutes close to another ranch. An older woman with kind blue eyes and brown hair was out in the yard in a bench swing. "Tyson, is that you, honey?" she shouted.

"Oh, hi, ma'am!" he shouted back.

The woman got off of the swing and came to them. "Who is this lovely young lady? Did you meet someone at Duel Academy this year, Tyson?"

"Yes, ma'am...this is my girlfriend, Rosa Jimenez. Rosa, this is our neighbor, Laura."

Rosa blushed lightly when the woman complimented her, then removed one of her hands from Tyson's arm. "It is un pleasure to meet you, Senora Laura," Rosa greeted, hand held out to shake.

"The pleasure's all mine," the woman answered warmly. "My husband and I have been to Spain and we think it's a beautiful country," she added, shaking the girl's hand. "And if I may say Tyson's quite a lovely young man...I remember when his daddy brought him home after that incident in Utah... Dean was so frightened. George was down there almost every night playing cards..."

Rosa blinked in surprise, glancing at Tyson out of the corner of her eye. She decided to drop the subject for now, but would definitely ask him about it later, when they were alone. "Gracias, Senora Laura. I know how lucky I am to have him," replied Rosa, smiling warmly.

"Would you kids like a glass of lemonade?" Laura asked. "It's a long walk down from Hassleberry Ranch..."

"Yes, ma'am," Tyson said politely, leading Rosa gently by the arm. "Si, gracias again, Senora," added Rosa. It was strange; she hadn't noticed how dry this place was until now. Sure, Spain had been warm, but never really as stifling and dry as this desert-like terrain.

Laura smiled, getting the two kids to sit down at a swing on the porch, and then coming back with glasses of lemonade. "So, tell me about Duel Academy. It sounds like a lot of fun. And you certainly came a long way to be at the school, didn't you, Rosa?"

Rosa was sipping the lemonade, never having actually had homemade before. "Si. But it was the closest, so when I was accepted I was sent there. I'm glad that I was; otherwise I would not have met Ty-Ty," she explained. She blushed when she realized she'd used his pet name, hoping he wasn't embarrassed.

"Aw...you two started going out this year, didn't you, kids?" Laura asked. Tyson nodded. "Yeah, and I declassified my first name for Rosa, ma'am. So Rosa's callin' me Ty-Ty... and...I kinda like it..."

"I thought he would. Ty-Ty always called me 'darlin.' Now he sometimes calls me his 'Spanish Rose...'" Rosa sighed and, forgetting that Laura was there, nuzzled into Tyson's arm.

Laura only smiled. "I remember when my Jenna brought her boyfriend home. They ended up gettin' married here. It took a little bit for Barbara to find someone, but she did and now our girls have given us grandkids. So I remember how it is..."

Rosa nodded, mind wandering slightly. She hadn't thought about what might happen if they did get married. Where would they have the wedding? Texas or Spain?? _Dios mio_...

Fortunately, Tyson knew what to say. "We need to finish school first, ma'am...and we'll go from there." He gently laid his hand on Rosa's.

"I think that's a good plan," Laura said, smiling.

Rosa snapped back to attention, nodding in agreement. "Si. We need to figure out what we are going to do with our lives before we make any...lifelong decisions." Rosa smiled up at Tyson, interlacing her fingers with his.

"Laura! Hey, darlin'!" called a friendly male voice.

Tyson stood up immediately and saluted. "Sir!"

Rosa blinked in confusion, staring at Tyson as if he had three heads. "Eh..."

"Oh, Rosa, darlin', I'm sorry. Sir, this is Rosa, my girlfriend. Rosa, this is… George. He was…uh…in command of my daddy several years back." Tyson seemed to want to say something more, but the man with the gray hair and twinkling blue eyes had lightly shaken his head.

"Hello, there, Rosa," he said, holding out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, young lady. So you finally have a girlfriend, son?"

"Yes, sir..." Tyson answered

"Ah, I see now. It is a pleasure to meet tu, Senor. I am sorry that I did not..." began Rosa, drifting off. She shook his hand, nervously wondering if she should have done what Tyson had. And then it dawned on her. "I understand now. Papa is the same way with bull fighters," she sighed, shaking her head. Sometimes men confused her, and she wondered what constantly compelled them to do this sort of thing.

"It's all right, Rosa, honey," Laura said smiling. She got close enough to whisper and then said softly in Rosa's ear, "I don't understand everything, even after having been married for so long..."

Rosa sweat-dropped and giggled, wondering if she'd understand when she was married. If she got married, that is. Rosa still wasn't sure if her father supported her decision to date Tyson. And when it came to choosing suitors for his daughter, well...let's just say it's not wise to anger a bull fighter.

The man took the teen boy by the shoulders and took him on a walk. "So I take it you and this young lady are serious?" George asked, a glint in his blue eyes.

"Yes, sir. I...think she's the one, but I've gotta impress her daddy..."

Meanwhile, the women talked, still sitting on the porch swing. "So are you two kids pretty serious?" Laura asked Rosa.

"Si. I have never felt this way for anyone else before, y I think-no, I know-that he es the one. The only problem is mi papa. He is very protective, and will only accept those he considers worthy of dating his only daughter. I suppose it is expected in a family of cinco hijos and only una hija," Rosa explained, sweat-dropping.

"My daddy worried about me, too, and George was a wild stallion...but he grew out of that and Daddy just loved him. And George was protective of our girls, but they found the men of their dreams and he was happy. Don't you worry, Rosa...if Tyson's the one, your daddy'll come around."

Rosa smiled and nodded, hoping that Laura was right. "Si. I just have a bad feeling that papa is going to test Ty-Ty like he tested mi other twenty suitors."

"How did he test your other boyfriends, Rosa?" Laura asked curiously.

"Well, he had those who weren't bull fighters fight un bull. As for the others, he..." Rosa blushed, "...wrestled them. He did the same with those who defeated un bull. Only one young man won and he was… unworthy."

"Hmmm..." Laura smiled thoughtfully. "Lily, Tyson's mama, had him do rodeo when he was younger. And with his strength, I'll bet he'll do well, honey."

Rosa bit her bottom lip worriedly, but nodded hopefully. "He does seem mucho stronger than the others. But before he even comes to Papa, he may have to fight un tauro." Rosa used the bull's Spanish name to emphasize meaning, knowing full well how dangerous it was in the ring.

"I've seen bull fights, honey, but has Tyson told you where he gets his strength?"

"No...Is it not from his military training?" asked Rosa, confused. The thought of the mentioned incident flashed through her mind, and she had to shake her head before other memories surfaced.

"That incident in Utah just a few years ago, honey...he had a bone replaced..." Rosa frowned, wondering why Tyson hadn't told her. Had he forgotten? Did he think she didn't care? Then again, she wasn't exactly blurting out her own past to him. "I know this because...well, Tyson almost died... When he came home he was a very sick boy, Rosa..." Laura took a breath and continued, "George and I went down to their ranch every night to keep Dean and Lily company."

"Please. Can you tell me what happened?" the girl asked with pleading eyes. She was now worried, and desperately wanted to know what had happened all those years ago.

"Tyson has probably been afraid to tell you... that replaced bone is a dinosaur bone. It saved his life, but...he got some dinosaur DNA in his blood..."

Rosa let out a sigh of relief, glad that it was nothing serious. "Thank goodness. I was worried it was something terrible, Senora Laura. I do not care if he has some extra DNA en him. To me, he is still Ty-Ty," she smiled.

"That's wonderful, sweetheart, and I think if that's what matters to you, whatever happens with your daddy, you and Tyson's love will overcome any obstacle."

And then the boys were back. "Hi, my Spanish Rose," Tyson greeted his young love.

Rosa's smile grew wider and she stood, embracing Tyson happily. "Ty-Ty, you should have told me about your extra DNA. I do not mind, so long as it does not change you," she whispered. That's what she'd been worried about, that her precious Tyson would change from the event.

"You know?" he asked, searching her eyes. And for the first time, he let her see something in his eyes that he hadn't before...fear. Rosa sighed, looking back into his eyes with her own fiery determination.

"Si. But it does not matter. I still love tu, and always will. That is the truth," she stated firmly. Her striking eyes dared him to doubt her, as her thin hands clutched his squared shoulders. The adults smiled at the young couple embracing on their porch and the older man gently put his arm around his wife.

"Darlin', I...wow..." Tyson managed. He felt a bit tongue-tied.

"Why don't you sit down for another glass of lemonade with us, kids?" Laura offered.

"Sounds bien. Gracias," replied Rosa as she sat down.

"De nada, young lady..." George said.

Laura went and got a huge pitcher of lemonade and poured it into the glasses. "So...how are your friends at school? We'd love to know about them..."

Rosa's smile faltered, remembering the recent news about Annie. Not to mention they had no idea if Violet had gotten better or worse, either. Tyson gripped his love's hand. "We've got a lot of good friends and one heck of a platoon leader. The Sarge is really cool..."

"The...Sarge?" Laura and George asked, confused. Duel Academy wasn't a military school, was it?

"Ty-Ty looks up to one of our amigos, Senor Jaden. So, he calls him 'Sarge,'" explained Rosa.

"Ah...I knew you didn't go to military school, son," George grinned.

"Sorry, sir...well, the Sarge taught me stuff about bein' a friend..." And so Tyson told them about his small cadre. "I think you can tell them about Violet and Annie, darlin'."

Rosa sighed. "Senorita Annie and Senorita Violet are also our amigas. But...recently, Senorita Annie has been fainting. She was hospitalized and our amigos fear the worst. Senorita Violet even became sick; we do not know about her yet," she explained sadly.

"Oh my goodness..." Laura said, thinking of children she'd taught and helped. "Annie's been fainting a lot?"

Tyson nodded. "The night we left to come here, she passed out on the boat...and before that, she'd been passin' out a lot at the academy. And Private Truesdale's scared to death."

"Senor Syrus is her boyfriend, you see. He is worried that she might..."she said and stopped, still unable to say it.

"We're gonna pray for her...And...If you kids need anything or she needs help, I'll pull some strings," George promised. "I know some good doctors."

"Thank you, sir," Tyson said. Then he looked at his watch. "It's gettin' late! Sorry but we kinda need to get home. Thanks for the talk, sir and the refreshments, ma'am!" he said.

"Si! And gracias for… the conversation, Senora Laura," added Rosa, winking. She gripped Tyson's wrist and started running.

_And now…please read and review. The quicker you do, the quicker Chapter 28 will go up. Next time, Chapter 28: Roses of Love! Read, review and stay tuned._


	28. Roses of Love

Chapter XXVIII: Roses of Love

_Hello again, everyone and terribly sorry for the short delay. We hope this latest chapter was worth the wait. Thanks to our ever-faithful reviewers and to those of you who have just joined us in this tale. Peach and 15animefreak15 hope that you will also check out their latest fic in this Yugi-verse, "How We Met." It tells the story of how our OCs, Bastion, Tyson and Syrus all met and became friends or more. We'd love some reviews on that series!_

_Last time, Tyson revealed his real first name to Rosa and then his mother revealed an embarrassing secret about when he was little. And then Rosa's mother did the same thing, mentioning when Rosa was a little girl in Spain. This led to the young couple making a tactical retreat…uh, taking a walk…down the road where they met Tyson's long-time neighbors, George and Laura. There, Rosa learned about Tyson's extra DNA and the teens discussed matters with the adults. So now, we proudly present the Hassleberry/Jimenez dinner hour!_

_Disclaimer (again): We only own our OCs and non-established characters and this story idea._

"I hope you liked our next-door neighbors, darlin'," he managed as they ran. She was surprisingly able to half-drag him even though it was tiring.

"Oh, sí! They are very nice, Ty-Ty. I just hope we are not late for dinner. If I know Papa, he will…" Rosa began.

"ROSADINA TORELINO RODRIGUEZ-JIMENEZ!!" After that, Jose yelled a stream of Spanish, which went so fast that probably not even General Hassleberry could understand it.

"Sir, lo siento," Tyson began. Rosa quickly placed a hand over her boyfriend's mouth, sending him a look that clearly stated, "Hush, I'll handle this." She pulled away and spoke with her father, the conversation in quick, clipped Spanish. It lasted about fifteen seconds before Jose went back inside.

"Do not worry. Everything is fine," stated Rosa.

"You sure, darlin'? I couldn't catch half of that!" Tyson said.

"Sí. Papa just wanted to make sure that you were not doing what mi last suitor planned to do after we got engaged," Rosa said as they went inside.

"Um...what would that be?" he asked, blushing.

"Remember when I told you about the suitor that Papa had thrown into the hole?"

"Um...yeah," he answered, wondering where this was leading.

"Well, first I should tell you that I was to be engaged to him. He had defeated el tauro and mi papa. He was the only one to ever do so and Papa was so glad. But...during their talk, Jorge slipped out that he had...less than desirable intentions..."

"You mean...he just..." Tyson's eyes shifted from human to dinosaur for a brief moment and then... "Darlin', excuse me for a second...I don't want a lady to hear this..."

Rosa blinked. "Uh, okay..." He walked out as far as he could from any house where he was sure people could hear him, and let loose in a few languages. When one is a child of the military, one learns ways to express one's anger in many languages. Rosa leaned against the wall, just barely able to catch a few words from Tyson's yelling.

Then, Josephina walked over to her. "Rosadina? Where is Senor Tyson??" she asked. Rosa shrugged.

Dean and Lily Hassleberry could hear their son yelling. "What in Sam Hill?" the retired general said, his eyes wide.

"I'd say somethin' made Tyson mad," Lily said. "Rosa, honey, is everything all right?"

Jose had joined the adults, and waited for his only daughter to answer. "I told him about Jorge, Papa..." she stated simply.

The name obviously angered him, and if he wasn't with company he would have punched a hole through something. "I understand, hija," he muttered angrily.

"I thought so... and he didn't want you to hear him cussin' a blue streak," Lily said. "Rosa, I know how my sweet boy feels about you...He wants to be an officer and a gentleman with you..."

Rosa's eyes were half-closed in thought, a light breeze blowing her hair. 'Can he possibly be as strong as Jorge or my papa? If he is not, then...' she thought, frowning a little.

Tyson, finally calm, came back to the ranch and saw his girl, her parents and his parents standing there. "Sorry... Senor Jimenez, your daughter told me about that scum that she dated and he...well, she told me what he was about, and I'd quite honestly like to have him tangle with a T. Rex!"

Jose grinned and pulled Tyson into a bone-crushing hug. "Haha! It is bueno to know that you care so much for my Rosadina!!" he cheered. Rosa smiled, hoping that her father wouldn't break Tyson's back.

Tyson, however, returned the hug. "Thank you, sir. She's worth fightin' for...every day, every hour and every minute. And...I'll face whatever challenges you'd have me face..." Tyson met Jose's blue eyes with his hazel ones.

Jose released Tyson. "It is bueno! I will have to think hard for your challenge. But first, it is time for dinner."

Josephina nodded. "Senora Lily and I worked hard to make a special dinner. Mixing Spanish and American recipes," she explained happily.

"All right!" the Hassleberry men said happily. "I smell meat!" Tyson said.

"Yeah, you do, son!" Dean grinned. "Mama and Rosa's mama made lots of meat!"

"Eat your vegetables, though, you two!" Lily said sternly.

"Sí. Carne may put muscles on you, but they count for nothing if you do not eat your vegetables," added Josephina just as sternly.

Rosa sweat-dropped at the similarity, and Jose laughed. "You both are so alike, it is amazing! Do not worry, we will eat our vegetables."

They all went into the dining room where the food was already set out, and Rosa's eyes turned into hearts. "Oh, Mama! You made paella? Gracias!" she cheered happily. It had been so long since she'd tasted her mother's cooking, or any Spanish cuisine at all. Two other dishes were gazpacho and churros.

Tyson grinned. "All right! Churros! But I'd better eat the healthy stuff first! Uh...who wants to say grace?" he asked.

"Since we are the guests, it would only be right for the host to say it," Jose explained as they sat down.

With that, Dean said a quick blessing over the food, asking God to be with Tyson and Rosa's friends, and that Annie would be okay. He concluded by thanking God for the guests and asking special blessing for the two lovely cooks. "Amen," he said. "So Jose, what's it like bein' a bullfighter?"

Jose grinned. "It is thrilling! It is only you and el tauro, man against beast. One of you shall be proven the toughest and let me tell you, el tauro does not like coming out on the bottom," he explained.

"I imagine you wouldn't like it if you came out on the bottom," Dean commented. "So...do you actually kill the bull?"

"No, our town outlawed such a barbaric practice. We simply use the defeated tauro against the newcomers. They are far too young to fight the stronger tauros."

"That's good...I saw a bullfight once...felt sorry for the critter...I don't like killin' if I can help it," Dean said. He had fought and killed in battle, but had hated having to do it.

Jose nodded in agreement. "So then, do you think that your hijo can defeat a tauro?"

"I do," Dean grinned, looking over at his son.

"I will..." Tyson said seriously without his usual bravado. "I'll find the needle in the haystack, plow a field... Sir, I'll even fight the devil himself!"

Jose grinned. "That is bueno! Because I have decided your test!!" he stated suddenly. Rosa's head snapped up, anxious to hear what Tyson would have to do.

Tyson met Jose's eyes. "All right, sir...what will I do, then?"

"You said that you would fight El Diablo for mi hija. Well, mi tauro fighting name is 'El Diablo'!" he explained. Rosa and Josephina knew exactly what was coming, exactly what Rosa was afraid he'd have to do. "You will fight me for mi hija's Rosettas," he finished. In other words, if Tyson defeated Jose, he would be engaged to Rosa.

Tyson nodded. "I love Rosa, sir, and I will fight for her..."

"Bien. The test shall be tomorrow, at media, high noon, as you Americans call it in your cowboy movies. That is, if it is okay with your padres," he replied.

The elder Hassleberrys looked at each other and nodded. "It's fine with us..." Dean said.

"Excellent. We shall see if you are strong enough for mi hija." Jose stated, turning to his food.

Josephina smiled at Tyson reassuringly. "I am sure that you will do fine, Senor Tyson."

"Thank you, ma'am. Mama, may I be excused for a minute?" the boy asked.

"Of course, honey..."

Tyson got up and headed outside into the warm Texas sun. 'I can't lose...I can't lose her...' he thought, tears starting. He couldn't help it; Rosa was part of him now and to lose her would be devastating.

Rosa thought for a moment. "Mama, may I be excused?" she asked. Josephina understood and nodded as Rosa stood and left the dining room. She stopped in the doorway behind Tyson, watching him in secret. 'Ty-Ty...' she thought sadly.

"I won't lose her..." Tyson said softly. "Please, Great General, help me...I love her, and I can't lose her..."

Rosa's eyes widened, and she stepped forward to wrap her arms around him. "Ty-Ty..." she whispered.

"Rosa...darlin'," he whispered, turning around. "I can't lose tomorrow...I love you too much..."

"I know, Ty-Ty. You will not lose...I know you will not. If you truly love me, then you will find the strength to defeat mi papa. I…I believe in you, with all mi heart."

"Darlin'..." He found himself shaking.

"No one can keep us apart, we will always be together...I just know it!" she whispered, clutching his shirt. Tears had formed in her eyes without her knowing. "I know you will not lose, but...I am worried about you. I...do not want you to get hurt, Ty-Ty..."

He just held her for a minute, wordlessly. "I know, Spanish Rose...but...remember what I said when we watched Titanic?" Rosa shook her head "no"; it had been so long ago it seemed.

"I said I'd die for you...and I meant it..." he said softly, pressing his lips against her forehead.

"Ty-Ty...gracias. I just...don't know what I would do if something happened..."

Unbeknownst to the teens, the adults had silently gotten up from the table and were listening out of sight. "Oh...our boy's grown up..." Lily whispered, squeezing Dean's hand.

Josephina sent Jose a look everyone in their family knew and he sweat-dropped. "What?" he asked, grinning sheepishly.

"Jose Juantamo Jimenez...if you hurt that chico," she whispered, using his full name. If there was one thing Jose feared in this world, it was his wife when she meant business.

Dean sighed softly. "He's never been this way about any girl...And I swear to you, Jose, he loves her...He wants to fight you if that'll make him prove himself in your eyes, but I know my boy...He loves her..."

Jose smiled. "I can see that very well, Senor Dean. There are two reasons why I test mi hija's suitors. Would you like to hear them?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest.

"I would, actually..."

Jose held up his index finger. "The first reason is to see if the chico would go the distance for mi hija. Is he willing to do anything for her love? If not, he would back down, of course. Some did in the past," he explained, face growing serious.

"Okay, I understand that," Dean said. "That's one way we rooted out wimps in basic training. What's the next thing?"

"The first reason is importante. But the segundo reason is even más importante. I need to know that the chico is strong enough to protect mi hija. Until then, I shall protect her."

Dean nodded. "We all protect our kids...until they're strong enough to protect themselves. Girls are a little different... but the boys need protectin' too...We almost lost our Ty when he was 12..."

Jose glanced at Dean. "Really? How so??" he asked curiously.

"He loves paleontology...diggin' for dinosaur bones...and I'd taken him on a dig in Utah...there was a rockslide and his left leg took a lot of damage. The doctors thought for a minute..." Dean swallowed. "They replaced the bone though and everything healed, but for about a week...he was a very sick little soldier..."

Jose placed a strong hand on Dean's shoulder. "I have never said this before, but...I believe that your hijo will defeat me tomorrow. No se how, but he will..."

Meanwhile, Tyson Hassleberry just held tightly to Rosa. "I don't have Rosettas, darlin', but when this is over, I'll take you and I'll get you something beautiful..."

"Gracias, Ty-Ty. You do not have to get me anything, but I know that you will not change your mind."

"Well...it's kinda a tradition that a guy gives his fiancée somethin' beautiful..."

Rosa nodded. "Won't our amigos be surprised when we call and tell them that we are engaged?" She giggled a little.

"Yeah...darn it...I just had to let loose with the waterworks, didn't I?" he said, laughing, wiping at his face.

"Just like you told me, you do not have to be tough all of the time. Me gusta… I like seeing your sensitive side," she replied, kissing him and concentrating on her English.

He lost himself in the kiss. "I think we'd better all get back to the table," Lily said softly. "Otherwise, the kids'll know we've been listenin'..."

"Good idea, Tiger Lily..." Dean whispered back.

Josephina smiled as they went back to the dining room. "Oh, what a sweet nombre. Jose often calls me 'Phina Bonita," she stated. Jose blushed and grinned sheepishly.

"Dean calls me Tiger Lily because he knows not to get me riled..." Lily teased.

"She's right," Dean said, grinning. "I don't get her mad..."

"The same goes for Josephina. If there is anything I fear, it is her when she means business," replied Jose, sweat-dropping.

Josephina grinned. "You just have to show them who is boss."

Finally, the kids returned. "Sorry it took so long..." Tyson said.

"Sí. I hope that we did not interrupt dinner," added Rosa as they sat.

"No, no. It is fine," replied Jose.

"It's all right, kids," Dean said. "You kids have a lot on your minds...between tomorrow and Annie, am I right?" Tyson nodded.

Rosa realized they had finished the main meal, and smiled. "Mama, you did not happen to make..."she began.

Josephina nodded. "Of course I did! Would you excuse me, por favor?" she asked.

"Do you need a hand?" Lily asked.

Josephina thought for a moment. "Sí, you probably should help me."

Dean looked at his son, who was strangely quiet. "I guess I should tell you about life as a soldier, Jose, if you'd like, of course..."

The two women left the room, while Jose nodded. "Of course. Mi great grandfather was un soldier of España's grand army."

"Then I'm in good company. I fought in Afghanistan when Ty was just a tiny fella and before that, I fought in Operation Desert Storm under Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf!"

Rosa blinked, glancing at Tyson. "So that is why his middle nombre is Schwarzkopf."

Jose smiled. "How interesante. I myself preferred fighting beasts over men, or I would have become a soldier."

"Ah...well here in Texas, we do our share of fightin' with animals...well, more trainin' them..." He got up and grabbed a photo from the wall. It was a picture of six-year-old Tyson in a cowboy suit. "Ty tried ridin' sheep."

Rosa grinned. "Aw! He is adorable!!"

Meanwhile, Josephina was digging through her suitcase. "I know I packed it...a-ha! Found it." She straightened, an oval package wrapped with white silk held in her arms.

"Oh, my, that's lovely, Josephina!" Lily said. "What is it?"

"It is special bread we brought, for un tradition," she began. Josephina set the bundle on a side table and unwrapped it, revealing a loaf of pure white bread. "It is called Rosarta. The day before a suitor's test, both families must eat the bread for good luck the next day. It is baked a special way and is filled with olives, saffron, manzanas and strawberries. It is the perfecto blend of sweet and sour."

"Then...I hope this does bring us good luck...Rosa's an angel and I love her already," Lily said. "Dean and I couldn't have any more children after Tyson."

"Lo siento. Rosadina was the last niña I could have after her cinco brothers. The doctor warned that if I tried to have anymore, I might not make it. But, Jose and I were fine, because we had finally had un hija," Josephina explained as they made their way back to the dining room.

"We would've loved to have a girl, too, but...I had trouble when Tyson came and as a result, no more kids. But he is the light of our lives," Lily said smiling.

Josephina nodded in understanding as they entered the dining room, placing the Rosarta in the center of the table. "Ah, bueno, you managed to find it," Jose stated. Rosa smiled.

"Rosa? What's this, darlin'?" Tyson asked.

"Do you remember mi Rosettas, Ty-Ty? And how I am to give them to mi fiancé's padres?" she asked. Josephina was cutting the Rosarta into six equal pieces.

Tyson nodded. "I remember, Spanish Rose..." Dean also nodded.

"Well, this is Rosarta. It is special bread that both families eat the day before the test for good luck," she explained.

"Tell me, have any of you noticed a certain similarity?" asked Josephina as she passed out the pieces.

"This is heavy bread..." Tyson said.

Rosa sweat-dropped. 'They do this every time...'she thought.

"Think. Do three things having to do with this engagement have anything in common?" asked Jose, grinning.

Tyson took a bite of the bread, catching the flavor of it. "Two flavors...conflict but yet...they go together!"

"You are getting warmer, Ty-Ty. Come on...what are the three things having to do with the engagement?" coaxed Rosa.

"We're two cultures comin' together, we're both pretty different but the same..." Then he thought some more. "We're also strong together..." And then Tyson realized it. "Private Misawa would say I was thinkin' too hard...Sam Hill... It's all about you and me, Rosa!"

Rosa grinned. "I knew you could do it!" Jose and Josephina smiled at each other happily and everyone went back to eating the Rosarta.

Tyson chewed thoughtfully. 'I'll be...I figured it out...And we will be together...and the Great General help that jerk, Jorge, if I ever meet him...'

Rosa had come to love the taste of Rosarta, because she'd eaten it so many times. "So, do you like the Rosarta? I believe only our town of Calientara has this tradition along with the Rosettas," explained Josephina.

"It's downright delicious!" Tyson grinned.

"Yeah, wonderful!" Dean and Lily added.

"Then, let it give you strength for tomorrow. I will not go facil on you," replied Jose. They'd finished the Rosarta, the sun half-set out across the desert.

"Good, sir, because I wouldn't have it any other way...the Sarge didn't go easy on me..." Tyson smiled.

_So the dinner went well without anyone going crazy and getting in a fight. So what is next for everyone? Next time, we head back to Domino to see the group awaken! Stay tuned and please read and review!_


	29. Waking

Chapter XXIX: Waking

_And so we are at the 29__th__ chapter, loyal readers! To queenofspades19, unfortunately, the fight will have to wait. But it is coming soon! Hang in there folks! Thank you for your patience!_

_Last time, Tyson found that he will face a wrestling match for his lady's hand. And now, we return to Domino. _

_**Boring Legal Stuff: We own nothing but our OCs, non-established characters and this idea. Thank you.**_

As the Hassleberry and Jimenez families enjoyed their dinner, back in Domino, Tyson and Rosa's friends awoke, hoping that they would return to the hospital to good news about Annie.

Violet yawned, stretching from her spot on the bed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, smiling when she realized her fever was gone. 'I feel great! Except for some stuffiness, I think I'm all better,' she thought happily. Violet sat up, glancing at Bastion who still slept soundly beside her. "He's so cute when he sleeps..."she whispered.

And then..."Oh, Violet," Katai Misawa whispered, sticking her head in the room, "how are you feeling, sweetie?"

Violet yelped, falling unceremoniously out of bed for the second time in a row. "Ow...Katai?"she groaned, rubbing the back of her sore head.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie," she whispered. "I didn't mean to surprise you like that. How are you feeling, other than the fall?" she asked as she helped the girl up.

"A lot better. Just a little stuffy is all," Violet sniffed, glancing over at Bastion who was still somehow asleep.

Katai touched Violet's forehead, and then took her temperature. "Back to normal...Bastion is such a sound sleeper. But he was tired and his body's wonderful at recuperating," she smiled. Bastion hardly ever got sick.

Violet grinned. "You think it would be okay if I woke him up?"

"Okay...let me see how you do it," Katai smiled.

Violet's grin turned mischievous. She'd always done this to wake her brother, parents, and friends in the past. "BASTION-BABY!! TIME TO WAKE UP!!" she yelled, then jumped onto the bed. She landed hard enough to send him flying about a foot into the air, his head landing squarely in her lap.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF EINSTEIN!" Bastion yelped. "Oh...good...evening, Violet," he said looking at the clock. And then he noticed his mother. "Hi, Mum...were you here the whole time?"

"I was, Bastion...How are you feeling?" Katai asked, sweat-dropping slightly at Violet's method, but relieved that Bastion was awake and happy.

"Well rested. Violet, darling, how are you feeling?"

Violet giggled. "A lot better, Bastion-baby. And do you always call out to Einstein when you're surprised?" she asked, grinning.

"I revere him..."

"Revere? What's that? Is it the same as reverse?" Violet asked as she hopped back off of the bed.

"No, darling...what it means is that I think very highly of him. My, I'm hungry, Mum! And...goodness, we slept about six hours..."

"Well, I'll fix you something. Your father should be calling soon," Katai said gently.

"Sounds great! I'm starving! But first I should get dressed." Violet started digging through her suitcase, trying to mix together an outfit.

"Umm...I'll go in my room, darling," Bastion said, walking out.

"Okies! See you downstairs!!" she called, waving. Violet set the clothes on the bed, changing out of her pajamas.

"Tell me if you need anything," Katai said as she walked out and down the stairs to the kitchen. And then the phone rang. "Hello, Misawa residence. This is Katai," she said. "Oh, hello, Hiro, darling!"

"Hello, Katai. Have Bastion and Violet woken up yet? How are they doing?" he asked.

Katai answered, "The kids are awake and Violet is doing much better...I think that long sleep did her good. She even woke up Bastion. Her method was...unorthodox, to say the least..."

"Really? That's good. What do you mean by 'unorthodox'??" Hiro asked curiously.

Katai smiled. "She yelled and jumped on the bed, launching him like a rocket. His usual exclamation followed...At least he doesn't curse...Oh, how's Annie?"

Hiro laughed, easily able to imagine such a thing, and then he sobered abruptly. "Annie? Oh...well, dear, things are looking a little...grim."

"Hiro...should I get them ready to come?" Katai felt her heart clench. "What's going on?"

Meanwhile, Violet had changed into black jean capris, a dark magenta tank top, and black flip-flops. Her hair was in its usual long ponytail as she grabbed her deck and went out into the hallway. Bastion also pulled on a clean pair of denim shorts and a sleeveless gray top. To complete the ensemble, he got a pair of gray leather flip-flops. He headed into the hall at the same time Violet did.

Violet blushed lightly, finding Bastion really handsome in that outfit. "You look great!"

"You do, as well, darling," Bastion said softly. "Hmm...I thought I heard the phone ring. I wonder if it's Dad? Maybe he knows something."

"You mean about Annie?" Violet asked as they made their way downstairs.

Bastion and Violet were close to the kitchen and the boy laid his finger to his lips to keep his girlfriend quiet.

"Yes, that would be for the best, darling. You see...it seems that Annie has a cardiac condition. We are still planning tests to find out whether it's fatal or can be cured. Kisara plans on telling the whole group later on," Hiro explained sadly.

"Oh, no...that poor girl...I'll have them ready. I won't tell them," Katai murmured, worried now.

"Tell us what?" Violet blurted out before she could stop herself. She instantly slapped a hand over her mouth. 'Bad mouth, bad!' she thought.

Katai heard, but wisely didn't let on that she had. "Hiro...what else can I do?"

"Just make sure they're ready to hear the news. As long as they have each other, they should be all right...oh, I have to go, darling. My next appointment just came in. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, darling," Katai said, and hung up the phone. Bastion and Violet entered the kitchen. "Bastion, that was your father, dear. Let's get you kids your dinners and you can get ready and go to the hospital, all right?"

"All right. I can't wait to get something in my stomach," Violet replied. She was trying to keep the worry she had heard in Katai's voice at the back of her mind.

Bastion swallowed. "Mum...what's going on?" he asked. "I think you heard us...is something going on with Annie?" His eyes met his mother's and he held Violet's hand as he asked it.

"Bastion...I know as much as you do at the moment...And your father asked that you come to the hospital so Kisara can tell you what's going on, all right?" Katai answered, knowing that she was pretty much lying to her only child and his girlfriend.

Violet winced and frowned, biting her bottom lip. 'It has to be something bad, I just know it. What's wrong now? Is she going to die??' she wondered, shaking a little.

"Violet, love," Bastion whispered, sensing her tension. "Please calm down...I'm worried, too. Mum," he said in a more audible voice, "do you happen to have any leftover stew?"

"Yes I do, and I also have some chili...I don't usually make it this time of year, but Dad wanted some..."

"Thanks, Mum...lady's choice," he said to Violet, smiling.

Violet took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, trying to calm herself down. "Beef stew sounds great. I'm not really one for spicy food."

"Yum...you're missing quite a treat, though, Violet, because Mum doesn't make hers too spicy," Bastion grinned.

His mom quickly microwaved servings of chili and stew and put cheese on top of the chili. "There you are, kids, enjoy."

"Well, I also don't like beans," Violet sighed as they sat down. "Mom and Dad always did say I was a picky eater."

Bastion ate. "Well...odd thing about me...I used to hate avocados but now I love them. One day, they just tasted good."

Violet blinked. "That's funny, it's the other way with me! One day, something I love to eat all the time will just make me sick. I won't be able to eat it anymore."

Bastion smiled. "Hmmm...we're alike, but for different reasons..."

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, the phone rang at the Truesdale residence. Zane woke up, groggy from sleeping uninterrupted for 8 hours. "Umm...Hello?" he said, his hair sticking up more so than usual.

"Hello, Zane. It's Mom! How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"Hey, Mom! I'm okay," Zane shook his head. "How's Sy? And how's Annie?"

"Syrus is doing just fine, Zane. Annie is, too. But Kisara wants you down here at the hospital with the others so that she can tell you all something important. Think you can make it?"

"Yeah. Wait a minute...Mom, something's going on, isn't it?" Zane had a sixth sense when he knew his mother was keeping something from him, cultivated by nineteen years of experience.

Darla sighed. "Zane, it's best if you find out from Kisara. Don't worry yourself over it, but...prepare yourself, all right? I have to go now. There's been a latecomer to the hospital with a baby on the way. I'll see you later, sweetie."

"Okay, Mom...bye. I love you..."

"I love you, too, Zane." And she hung-up.

Zane sighed. 'This isn't gonna be easy,' he thought as he got his clothes off and headed to the shower. He thought back to his duel with one Aster Phoenix and how he'd lost. 'But I pulled myself up again...I got help from Sy and the gang and I came back better than ever...I need to return the favor...Hang in there, little brother...I'm here..."

Back at the Rhodes residence... "I'm gonna take you down, Mario!" Jaden shouted, embroiled in the 10-year-old Super Smash Brothers Brawl game.

"Not if I have Kirby swallow you first!" Atticus shouted beside Jaden.

Alexis sighed from her spot nearby, turning a page in her Duel Monsters magazine. 'Guys and their video games...'she thought, grinning.

"Not if Pikachu thundershocks both of you!" Chazz shouted, laughing. And then, the phone rang.

The boys paused their game, yelling, "I'LL GET IT," and collapsing in a tangle of arms and legs.

Alexis groaned and rolled her eyes, reaching over to grab the phone. "Hello, Rhodes residence," she greeted while the guys tried to get untangled.

"Ow! Jaden, you're kicking on my head!!" shouted Atticus.

"Ouch! Chazz, move your knee!"

"That's my elbow, Jaden!"

"Alexis, hi, it's Mom...what's going on?"

"Hey, Mom. The guys were playing a video game and got all tangled when they got up to grab the phone. Right now they're trying to get untangled...and failing miserably," Alexis grimaced as Atticus' knee hit a rather...sensitive part of Jaden.

"OUCH! DO YOU WANT NIECES AND NEPHEWS, ATTICUS?" Jaden howled. And then...miraculously, the boys freed themselves.

"Is that Mom?" Chazz asked.

Atticus sweatdropped. "Sorry, Jay..."

Alexis nodded. "So, Mom, why did you call? Is everything all right at the hospital??" she asked, pushing the speaker button so that they could all hear.

"Sweetie, I want you kids to get ready. We need you to come here. Kisara wants...needs...to talk to the entire group all at once, okay?"

"Mom, did something happen to Annie?" Chazz asked. Jaden, pain faded greatly, froze.

"No, Chazz...she's sleeping right now. I talked with your mom, Jaden and she's been in with Annie and Sy this afternoon; they're both asleep right now, but we have to wake them soon. Kisara's coming back to the hospital and she's going to tell all of you what's going on at once."

"Right...we're on our way, mom...bye. We love you," Alexis replied a little shakily. Atticus sat by his sister, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders even though he was just as worried.

"I was right..." Jaden groaned softly. "Something's really wrong..." And Chazz was strangely quiet. "How's Sy gonna take it...if..." Jaden couldn't say it.

"Come on, guys. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can find out what's going on. Right?" Alexis asked as she stood. Atticus frowned and stood as well.

Jaden and Chazz looked at each other and nodded. "You're right, Lex..."

"Yeah, sis...let's go. Who's driving?"

"I can drive. Let's go," Atticus stated. They went outside and got into a 2014 Lexus, pulling out of the driveway and heading towards the hospital.

"Um, big bro? Have you been in any accidents?" Chazz asked.

Atticus grinned. "No way! Unless you count that fender bender..." Alexis groaned and made sure her seatbelt was fastened securely.

Jaden and Chazz grasped hands. "Dude?"

"Yeah, Jaden?"

"We're gonna die..."

Not quite an hour after the Rhodes kids and Jaden embarked on their trip to the hospital in rush hour traffic, Kisara Kaiba awoke slowly to the soft droning of the alarm. "Urgh..." she groaned softly.

Somehow, Seto had an instinct for his wife waking up. "Hey, babe..." he said, moving to wake her with a kiss. "You should've slept longer."

"Honey, I need to get up...I need to get to the hospital..."

"When you're done with that, babe, I am going to have you soak in the bathtub, and I am going to give you a massage. You work too hard..."

"And you don't?" she countered softly.

"I work less than when I was sixteen," he grinned. And then they heard two sets of feet outside the door.

"Dad?" came Noah's voice. "Is Mom up yet?"

"Yes, Noah..." Seto sighed. "Bring in your sister." And the two kids came in together.

"Hi, Mama. Are you feeling better?" Serena asked.

"I'm okay, Serena...come here, both of you..." Kisara said. She gave them both big hugs. "I was just really sleepy when I got home, and you both know how Mom and Dad get when we're up late, right?"

Serena giggled and nodded. "Do you have to leave again, Mama?" she asked.

"Yeah, I do, angel...I have to talk to the kids about their friend..."

"It's bad, isn't it, Mom?" Noah asked. "I wish I had the knowledge to help you...but..."

"Sweetie...Noah...we're not meant to have all the answers," Kisara said.

Serena grinned. "Besides, Noah, I'm sure that Mom will be able to fix it! Mom can always fix this sort of stuff!!"

Kisara smiled sadly. Fortunately, Serena didn't catch it. "Mom needs to get ready, okay, kids?" Seto said.

Noah nodded and took his sister's hand. "Let's go, Rini," he said.

"All right, Noah. Bye, Mom!" Serena called as they ran out of the room.

"Kisara...babe..." Seto pulled his wife close.

"You heard Serena, honey...I wish I had that ability," she whispered into his chest. "What if..."

"Kisara...what did you tell me when we were all so worried about Yugi?"

Kisara paused a minute and thought... "I said...we can't fix everything, but we can help each other as best we can...You remember that?"

"Yeah," he answered. "It was that day...I let people really start to help me...And I'm going to help you through this..." he said, holding her tight. "Are you going to be back home tonight?"

"I think Darla wants to stay in the room tonight. She's really worried about how Sy will take this."

"Okay...how long?"

"Maybe two hours...that shouldn't be too late..."

"No, we'll hold dinner..."

Kisara headed to the huge walk-in closet, pulled off her pajamas and got a new bra and panties, then a pair of black yoga pants and a short-sleeved black t-shirt with a v-neck. Then she got on socks and a pair of sneakers. "There...do I look okay?" she asked.

He smiled. "Gorgeous, as usual."

Then, the couple heard a second pair of footsteps. "Mommy!" two younger voices yelled.

"Mommy! You're up!!" called Jaime as he ran into the room. He went to her and hugged her happily.

Then came Jenna. "Mommy!" she squealed. "You're going again?"

Kisara hugged them close. "I'll be back in time for dinner, pumpkins...okay?"

"Okay, Mommy. We'll be waiting for you," replied Jaime, smiling.

Seto and all four kids walked Kisara out to the limo. "Hurry home, babe..." Seto said.

"Bye-bye, Mommy!" called Jaime.

"Bye, Mommy!" squealed Jenna, waving.

"Bye, Mom!" Noah said.

Serena waved. "Bye, Mommy! Hurry home!!" Kisara waved to the kids and Seto and the limo sped to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Rhodes car finally pulled into one of the hospital's many parking spots. "See, guys? That wasn't so bad..."stated Atticus. Alexis was clutching the sides of her seat for dear life, eyes wide from the terror she'd just been through.

Jaden and Chazz staggered out of the back seat, looking freaked out and thrilled at the same time. "Dude?"

"Yeah, Jaden?"

"That...was the most freaky thing that ever happened to me!"

"Freakier than the incident with the Sacred Beasts?"

"Well...maybe a bit less freaky...but...I'm driving or Lex is! Chazz?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever driven a car?"

"No..."

"ATTICUS!! I'M TAKING YOUR LICENSE AND CUTTING IT IN HALF!!" Alexis yelled, punching him on the head.

At that moment, Zane walked by. "You drove them, didn't you?" he said, perfectly straight-faced.

Atticus was rubbing a large bump on his head. "Yeah...but I don't see what the big deal is. Just because I swerved a few times and accidentally pressed on the gas too hard..." he mumbled. Alexis sighed in exasperation and got out of the car, vowing to never let Atticus drive again.

"Atticus?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah?" Atticus replied as he got out.

"Can you teach me to drive?"

Alexis face-faulted. "NO! Jaden, anyone can teach you except for Atty. Never. Let. Him. Teach. You." Atticus sweat-dropped.

"Why? The way he drives, it looks like fun!"

Chazz smacked his face into his palm. "And this was the guy who was screaming like a girl when we went 100 miles per hour on the freeway..."

"I was screaming 'cause it was fun! You were the one who was terrified, Chazz!"

Suddenly, they all heard the screech of tires against pavement, and a silver mini-van nearly ran Zane over. Seconds later it screeched to a halt, and backed up so that the driver's side window was facing them. It went down to reveal none other than a sick-looking Bastion with an excited Violet beside him. "Hi, guys! Bastion-baby drove since I don't have my license yet!!"

"Hello, everyone..." Bastion said, looking very dazed. "Are we at the hospital?"

Zane looked at the other boy and said, "Yeah...Bastion, you drove?"

"Yup! And man, Domino's roads are even more fun to speed on than Cleveland's!! Unfortunately, Bastion-baby wouldn't play bumper cars or chicken with the other fun drivers..." Violet pouted. "But at least I got to beep the horn!" With that, she did so, letting out a loud noise from the horn.

Atticus blinked. "And you said I'M bad?!"

"You are. Just not as bad as Violet as a back-seat driver, apparently."

Bastion was quite dazed. "If we're here, then..." He spun around, and crashed to the ground. "Wonderful fun, that..."

Violet giggled, jumping out of the car to Bastion's side. "Come on, Bastion-baby! Now's not the time for a nap! You just had six hours of sleep!!"

Bastion sighed, getting up. "Darling, you make me do maneuvers that would make a quail lose its lunch. I know you nearly made me lose mine."

Violet blinked as they started walking towards the entrance. "A quail? Isn't that like a chicken??"

Atticus shook his head. "No, it's more of a turkey! Right, Bastion?" Alexis sighed, rubbing her temples.

"No...it's a small bird that is very stable," Bastion said. "Google the bloody thing...So, is everyone here?"

The group looked at each other. "I wonder if Sy and Annie are awake yet," Zane asked, looking worried for his brother. "Mom's worried...did anybody else get that feeling?" he asked his friends.

"Dad was," Bastion said.

Jaden nodded. "I know Mom...she probably is..."

Alexis nodded. "Our mom was. I just hope it's nothing too serious..."

Violet's mood darkened a little as they entered the hospital. 'Annie...' she thought.

_Sorry for the mild cliffhanger, everyone! Next time, the group finds out what the doctors actually know and Violet and Jaden remember a challenge! So please do us the honor of reading and reviewing. Thank you very much!_


	30. News

Chapter XXX: News

_Well, everyone, it's been a rather short break, but real life for one of our authoresses prevented this latest chapter from being put up in two days as usual. We hope you aren't too upset by the delay. So again, thank you to all of our reviewers and readers. Your support means a lot to us. _

_Recap: Violet and Bastion woke up, recovered from their cold. Most of the other Domino teens awoke, played video games and then drove to the hospital. Some of our heroes naturally feared for their lives. And now, what will happen when the news is broken?_

_**Standard legal stuff: You know we don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We only own our OCs and non-established characters as well as this idea. Thank you.**_

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the hospital, Annie Hanson stirred. Her eyes opened and she smiled, seeing her boyfriend at her side. "Syrus?" she said softly. She gently brushed his cheek.

Syrus stirred, opening his eyes a little. "Annie?" he asked through a yawn.

"Hey...We took a nap again...The Borg didn't give you nightmares?"

Syrus laughed a little and sat up. "Nope. I dreamt about the funny episode we watched, where the dead guy kept running into the wall."

Annie started laughing. "Poor Keevan...that had to be one of the best gags in the show and his last words...'I hate Ferengi,'" she said with a British accent, similar to the actor's.

"Are you making fun of me, Annie? And I rather like Ferengi, actually," Bastion said, poking his head in the room.

"Hey!" Annie said happily, sitting up. And then the group came in the room.

"All right, two questions. One, why are you imitating my Bastion-baby? And two, who in the name of Watapon is Ferengi??" Violet asked, scratching her head.

Annie giggled. "I wasn't making fun...Bastion, I made Sy a Niner! We watched 'The Magnificent Ferengi' and he loved it. Violet, Ferengi are those Star Trek aliens with the big ears and the funny noses, the orange skin and the society that's extremely profit-driven..."

"You liked Deep Space Nine, Syrus?" Bastion asked. "I'm surprised..."

"It was pretty fun to watch, even though it had its sad parts." Syrus replied, smiling.

Violet grinned and hugged Annie. "I'm just glad that my favorite Trekkie's back to her old self! This is the Annie I know and love to bits!!" She giggled.

"Aw, thanks, Violet...You're all here..." Annie said.

"Yeah, we are," Zane said.

Nothing was in their expressions to indicate trouble, but Annie said, "They called you here, didn't they?" Her blue eyes were very calm as she said this. Violet sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, Kisara wants to talk to all of us at once," explained Alexis.

"I thought so..." Annie said. "I already know..."

"You...already know?" Jaden asked.

"How can you?" Chazz added.

Syrus stared at her with wide, fearful eyes and Violet had become silent. The Rhodes siblings were waiting for her answer. "I know the medication that Kisara used on me last night...Guys...it was heart medication..." Annie sighed. "They've told Mom and Dad...otherwise, they wouldn't be telling us..."

"But just because she used heart medicine, that doesn't mean it's anything serious, right?" Syrus asked nervously.

"Syrus...if it weren't serious, Kisara wouldn't have used it. My heart rate was up really high for ten minutes, and I didn't have any reason for it to shoot up like that...I should've known..."

Syrus frowned sadly, turning his gaze to the bed sheets. Violet still hadn't said anything, probably lost in her own thoughts. "Come on, guys. We don't know for sure if it's anything to really worry about," Alexis offered, trying to lift the mood a little.

Annie chose wisely not to continue the subject. "Yeah...So did everybody get a chance to rest? And...why do you four and you, Bastion, look like you all were on Space Mountain?" The four she referred to were the Rhodes kids and Jaden.

Alexis groaned. "Atticus drove us...through rush hour...on the freeway..."

Atticus sweat-dropped. "Hey! At least you weren't in Bastion's shoes. You heard Violet," he defended, pouting.

Violet grinned. "I beeped the horn!" she cheered happily and then pouted. "But I couldn't drive yet because I only have a permit and Bastion-baby wouldn't let me behind the wheel!"

Annie started to laugh. "Atticus...driving?! Oh, man!"

Jaden grinned. "I want Atticus to teach me how to drive!" Everyone looked at Jaden.

And Zane groaned. "Imagine this kid behind the wheel..." he groaned.

"What's wrong?" Jaden asked, puzzled.

"Well, Jay, it's just...sometimes you rush. And on the road...that's not a good thing," explained Syrus, sweat-dropping.

"I'll teach you how to drive, Jay! The same way my mom taught me," stated Violet.

Alexis wondered what kind of driver Violet's mother was. "And how did she teach you?" she asked curiously.

"Easy. Went to a parking lot and let me get behind the wheel. I had a brake problem, though," Violet grinned sheepishly.

Annie laughed and sighed. "All right!" Jaden said happily.

"Violet, darling...you can't teach him," Bastion said.

Violet pouted. "Why not? It's either me, you or Atty! Right?"

Alexis sighed. "Wrong. I'll be able to drive," she stated simply. Violet face-faulted.

"Actually, since you're not family, you only have a permit and even if you did, you'd only have one year's experience. Jaden can't learn from you because it's illegal," Bastion said.

"Thank God for the state legislature," Zane and Chazz muttered under their breaths.

"Feh. I forgot that there were some different laws here than back home," replied Violet, frowning.

"Hey, I know! Why don't you and Annie tell us what it's like where you guys live?" offered Syrus, smiling.

"Um...okay..." Annie said. "Violet, why don't you go first?"

Violet sighed and sat down in a bored manner. "There's nothing special about Ohio. It's a boring Midwestern state that has the most random weather. Cleveland's okay with its library and museums, but it's kind of far from where I live which is in a boring suburb where nothing ever happens," she explained bluntly.

"I find that hard to believe, darling," Bastion said. "You live there after all, and any place you live can never be dull...right, Annie?"

"Yeah, true! I think Ra Yellow has never been the same since you started actually dating, and I know Obelisk Blue will never be the same. And I think that's good!"

Violet grinned. "Aw, you guys. But really, there's not much to do there. That's why I tried getting into Duel Academy! Goodbye dreary Cleveland and hello island paradise!!" she cheered, jumping up. "Not to mention I could get away from my family. Bleh..." she added.

"What's wrong with your family?" Syrus asked curiously. Violet sighed. "My dad and brother constantly mess with me and my mom and I both share a bad temper. What do you guys think happens?"

"Typical family insanity," Annie observed.

"You have that, too?" Jaden asked.

"Who doesn't?" Annie grinned. "I'll bet you never have a dull moment, Violet!"

Violet shrugged. "Sock fights, couch wrestling, swerving through traffic and slamming on the brakes...I guess you could call it insanity."

Alexis laughed. "Well, I guess we know where you got your driving skills from."

"Whoa..." Jaden said.

"Cool..." Bastion sighed. "My family's the one that's as dull as dishwater...Mum and Dad have their careers and I do what I do...rather dull, right, Violet darling?"

Chazz piped up, "My new family's crazy...and I love it!"

"No way! You live in California, where nothing's ever dull!! I'd give my left leg to live here!" Violet exclaimed, running over to hug him.

Alexis laughed. "Glad you like the way our family works, bro."

Chazz grinned. "Being a Rhodes rocks! So, Annie, what about you?"

"Well...I don't know if my family's terribly exciting, but I do love where I live..."

"Near Seattle, that has to be cool!" stated Violet, grinning.

Syrus smiled. "Tell us about it, Annie. I am going to be going there..."

Annie drew a breath. "Well...I guess I'll start with what it looks like there...The truth is, Domino reminds me a lot of Seattle and some neighborhoods remind me of the suburb I grew up 

in...It's called Medina and it's really nice...I live in a house that's right next to Lake Washington and that lake is so cool."

"You live by a lake?" asked Syrus.

"Lucky! You probably get to go swimming and everything, huh?" added Violet, grinning.

"Not until it warms up, Violet," Annie said. "You need a wetsuit most of the time. The lake's pretty cold until summertime, but all year, it's beautiful to look at. But that's not all of it. Seattle itself, we have Safeco Field...that's where the Mariners play...Qwest Field...too bad it's not football season; the Pike Place Market...Sy, you'll love that! And I have so got to take you to Ivar's for fish and chips!"

"Fish and chips? Sounds cool!" Syrus replied, smiling excitedly.

Violet blinked. "Is the market like a place where farmers sell their crops and stuff?" she asked curiously.

Annie nodded. "They also have vendors that sell paintings, toys, purses and there's even a doughnut place. And not too far from there is the original Starbucks!"

"How cool! Sounds kind of like the Westside Market in Cleveland. We also have Jacobs Field, the Browns Stadium, and Lake Erie. And you want to know something? More people swim and surf on the lake in winter than in summer! It's fun to watch," Violet explained, grinning.

"In the winter??" replied Syrus, shocked.

"You guys are gutsy...our weather doesn't get as cold in the winter, but almost no one goes swimming in Lake Washington until early summer," Annie said. "Oh, Sy! You aren't too afraid of heights, are you?"

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "Uh, well, that depends. How high are we talking about exactly?"

"Um, high enough that if you dropped a penny off the observation deck and it fell to the ground, it could kill someone..."

Syrus' eyes widened. "Uh...I don't know if I could go up that high..."

"Oh, oh! What would happen if you dropped a bowling ball, then?" asked Violet excitedly.

"I don't want to think about that, Violet, but...they have the whole thing wired so you can't fall off the Space Needle, Sy. It's been there since the 1964 World's Fair and the view of the city is incredible. You might like the Science Center, too. They have an IMAX theater!"

"Well, I'll try going up there, Annie. And the Science Center sounds cool," he replied. "Oh! We have a Science Center, too. And the one thing Cleveland's famous for! Can you guys guess what it is?" Violet asked, grinning.

Jaden grinned and held up an imaginary guitar. "ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME!"

Violet laughed. "Yup! I'll take you there, Bastion. I'll make a rebel out of you yet!" she shouted, hugging him.

"Well...I think I know where Dad's punk rocker gear is...or his Beatles boots..."

"Your dad dressed like a punk rocker, Bastion?" Annie asked in shock.

"Oh, man!" Chazz grinned.

"My dad had a mohawk and my mom had poodle hair! They went to a rock concert every time my mom was pregnant, too. Mine was Metallica!" Violet explained.

"I don't really pay attention to old music. Who were the Beatles and Metallica again?" Syrus asked curiously.

"The Beatles were a rock group that came to the US in the 1960s," Annie said. "People thought that their hair was weird and too long. Paul McCartney was a member of the Beatles...Metallica was a heavy metal band. Mom and Dad like the Beatles, but they love Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond."

Now it was Violet's turn to be confused. "Who?" she asked.

"Don't you like them, too, Annie??" Syrus added curiously. He thought that she'd mentioned or he'd heard somewhere that she did.

Annie nodded. "I grew up listening to 'Copacabana' and 'Stand Up for Love.' Manilow and Diamond are like Frank Sinatra..."

"Wasn't he part of the Rat Pack?" Violet asked.

Syrus laughed a little. "There was a music group named that??"

Annie grinned. "The Rat Pack refers to a group of singers, Sammy Davis, Junior, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby, I think..."

"They performed in Las Vegas a lot. That's my favorite place besides Japan!" Violet added happily.

"It's also known as Sin City," stated Atticus.

"Sin City?" Jaden asked. "Why?" Chazz whispered to him and Jaden turned crimson. "Seriously?"

"Seriously, Jay..."

"Whoa..."

"Vegas tried to get a family image in the 1990s," Annie said, "but then they moved away from that to more heavily promote tourism...As they said, 'What happens in Vegas...'"

"'Stays in Vegas...'" everyone said.

"I remember going there as a kid and having tons of fun. But now they're older teen and younger adult focused. They replaced pirates with sirens for pizza's sake! How suggestive is THAT??" Violet pouted, arms crossed over her chest.

"That sucks...You know, I've always wanted to go to the Luxor," Annie said.

"Why?" Bastion asked.

"Well, I think it's partly because of what we've learned about Duel Monsters...I mean, sure it had its origins in Atlantis, but Egypt made the game an art form and since people found that out, the Luxor added stuff to the hotel about that..."

"Cool," Jaden said, grinning.

"I saw that! It's my favorite casino, so I always went there. They have a pretty sweet exhibit on the Egyptian shadow games and even a few of the stone tablets found in Egypt," Violet explained.

"Sounds interesting. Too bad it's in the middle of a desert. I hate that kind of weather," replied Alexis.

"It's not bad on the Strip, Alexis," Jaden said. "I hear a lot of people get married there. Didn't Britney Spears get married there?"

"Yeah...and she was married for a grand total of 55 hours," Chazz said.

"Then why did she get married?"

"Science still doesn't have an answer for that one," Bastion said.

Violet grinned mischievously. "Hey, speaking of marriage, where would you guys want to get married? For me it'd have to be Hawaii."

Syrus blushed a little. "I don't know...somewhere peaceful, I guess," he mumbled.

"Anywhere by the ocean! It's so romantic," stated Alexis.

"The big city! I love the hustle and bustle of a church in the middle of downtown," Atticus replied.

Annie smiled. Sy was thinking about where to get married. She hoped she'd be okay long enough for that to happen. Jaden, meanwhile, grinned. "Anywhere you want, Lex...I'm game..."

"Funny, slacker, I thought you'd want to get married on a roller coaster!" Chazz grinned.

"Hmmm...I should like an old-fashioned church, to tell you the truth," Bastion said. "The artwork is beautiful in those old churches."

"All right. We can have our honeymoon in Hawaii, then!" replied Violet. She blinked when everyone stared at her. "...What??"

Syrus' eyes were wide. "What do you mean 'on our honeymoon'? Bastion hasn't proposed to you or anything..."

Bastion was thinking about it. "No, I haven't, actually..." Her statement had brought him abruptly to Earth. "I...umm..." His face was turning a light shade of pink.

Violet realized the meaning of what she said, and grinned sheepishly. "You know me, always jumping to conclusions!"

Alexis sighed. "Well, Jaden and I are supposedly 'engaged'. And Rosa and Hassleberry probably will be once he passes that test."

"The test?" Annie asked. "I almost forgot! When's that happening?" Her heart rate went up slightly and everyone tensed, but it went down again.

"Tomorrow, Annie," Jaden said. "I wonder what Rosa's dad'll have Hassleberry do..."

"It won't be bad...but just think what it'll be like when he and Rosa have kids," Annie grinned.

"Oh, crap...they'll kill everyone!" Chazz groaned.

"You definitely won't want to make them angry," stated Syrus.

"Maybe Hassleberry'll have to have a snowball fight with Rosa's dad!" offered Violet, the scene playing through her mind.

"Uh, I highly doubt that, Violet," replied Alexis.

"Why?" asked Atticus.

"Because they're in the middle of the desert."

"Nope, no snow in that part of Texas, I don't think," Annie said. "They're in Crawford...that's where former President Bush 43 and his wife live," she said thoughtfully.

"A former President?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah...but maybe they don't live too close," Annie said. "Oh, well...I bet it must be crazy...Rosa's dad and Hassleberry's dad must have a lot to talk about, since they're both fighting men..."

"They are?" asked Violet.

"Yeah. Hassleberry's dad was a soldier and Rosa's dad's a bull fighter," Syrus explained.

"Maybe Hassleberry'll have to fight a bull," Alexis suggested thoughtfully.

"He said he'd fight the devil himself," Annie said. "That's so romantic. Somehow, I think it won't be like 'Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey...'"

"Bill and Ted's what??" Violet and Syrus asked.

"I've never heard of it." Alexis added, frowning.

"It was an old movie where Keanu Reeves, the Matrix guy, starred as a goofy teenager and he and his friend had traveled through time in the first movie called 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure,' and in 'Bogus Journey,' people tried to kill them and they ended up in Hell and then they dueled with Death and won and they gave Death a wedgie," Annie explained quickly.

Dead silence went through the room for a moment. "Okay..." Jaden said, stunned.

Violet blinked a few times. "That sounds like an awesome movie!" she shouted at last. Syrus laughed a little and sweat-dropped.

The kids talked for a few more minutes, and in that time, Kisara arrived at the hospital. 'Give me strength, Lord,' she prayed in her head as she got out of the limo. She brushed her long blue-white blonde hair back in a nervous gesture and headed into the hospital. She paged her fellow four doctors and headed for Annie's room. "Ready?" she asked Jayda when she met her.

Jayda nodded. 'Oh, Jay-jay,' she thought, imagining how upset her son would soon be.

Meanwhile, Hiro and Darla ran into each other on the way to the room, knowing what was about to happen. They knew they might be late, but they would be there in time to talk with their children. Scout also was racing from the emergency room, having had to consult on an injury to a five-year-old child.

"Hi, kids," Kisara said, coming into the room, followed by Jayda. Syrus and Violet tensed. They made sure to sit down and Syrus clutched Annie's hand nervously. "Hey, Annie," Kisara said gently, sitting down in a chair next to the bed.

"Go ahead and tell us, Kisara...I know something's wrong and you wouldn't be telling all of us unless you'd already told my parents and you wanted to tell the group together..."

Kisara met Annie's blue eyes with her own. "Annie...what do you think you know?"

"My heart rate was way up for several minutes and you had to use something to bring it down and that was an anti-arrhythmic medication. That means there's something wrong with my heart..." Annie quietly gripped Sy's hand as she said this. "Kisara...am I dying?"

Syrus winced at the question, biting his bottom lip. Violet was watching the doctor with wide eyes, fearful of the answer. Alexis and Atticus were just trying to stay strong for the three. Chazz stood close to his brother and sister, and Jaden stayed close to his mom. Zane moved forward, but his mother held him back. Bastion put his hands on Violet's slim shoulders, worried how she'd take it if Annie was indeed leaving them.

Kisara drew a deep breath. "Annie, honey...I'll have to do some tests, but since you responded so well to that medicine, I'm inclined to say you're not dying yet. However, I think your heart has suffered some damage, so tomorrow, you're going to see our cardiologist, Dr. Benson. He's very nice and fortunately, these tests won't hurt, but you may pass out again..."

Syrus let out a sigh of relief, glad that she wasn't dying. Violet was so relieved that she collapsed into Bastion's arms happily. Then, Hiro and Darla finally entered the room. "Terribly sorry that we're later. We were both in the middle of appointments," explained Hiro.

"It's all right," Kisara said.

Just then, Scout headed in. "I'm sorry, guys; there was an emergency I was in the middle of. Is everybody all right?"

Kisara glanced around the room at the group. "I think so...Annie's likely starting her tests tomorrow. Sy, would you like to stick by Annie tomorrow?"

Syrus nodded. "Of course. I don't want to leave her alone..."

Darla smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We know, Syrus. I'm so proud of you..."

Annie gripped Sy's hand again. "Thanks, Kisara. Hey, is there any way I could get out of bed for a few minutes? I mean...I haven't been out of here for a while...and..." She looked at 

Kisara and motioned to her. Kisara moved forward and bent down. "I'd like to get out of bed just to see around, and then I can call Mom and Dad...and I need to go to the bathroom..." Annie whispered. Kisara nodded.

"We can arrange that," she whispered back. "All teen boys except Sy out!" Kisara said straightening.

Atticus blinked. "What? Why??" Violet and Alexis giggled.

Bastion understood and said, "I think she requires privacy."

Violet stood, a serious expression on her face. "So...out, out, out!" she ordered. Violet somehow managed to push Bastion, Jaden, Chazz, AND Atticus out of the hospital room.

Alexis blinked. "I'm not going to ask how you managed to do that, Violet..."

And so, once all the boys were out of the room, except for Syrus, Kisara helped Annie out of bed. "Okay, let's get you in the bathroom."

"When you're done," Scout said, "we'll get your hair brushed and help you freshen up."

"Yeah," Jayda grinned. "We'll get a blanket for you and a wheelchair."

"Thanks, guys," Annie said, putting her feet into some socks and heading into the bathroom.

"It'll be good for her to get out of this room," added Darla, smiling. Syrus got out of the bed, still glad that Annie would be okay.

"We feared the worst, Mom," stated Alexis.

"It's okay," Scout said, hugging her daughter. "Alexis, Annie's still got to take those tests. Violet, honey, are you okay?"

Violet smiled. "Yeah. Just a little too relieved. I was so worried that the good news came as a bit of a shock."

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, everyone thought it was going to be bad news."

"With any luck, the good news will keep coming," Kisara said. "Annie's still got a tough road ahead of her, girls and Sy, but with you kids to help her, I think she'll be okay. We'll know a lot more by tomorrow night..."

Violet blinked. "Hey, we'll also be able to learn if Hassleberry passed that special engagement test or not."

Alexis grinned. "Guess we have plenty to look forward to."

Annie chose this moment to step out of the bathroom. "Thanks, I needed that. Darla, can Sy stay with me again tonight?"

"I don't see why not, sweetie. I'll stay, too, to keep an eye on the two of you," replied Darla, smiling.

Violet gasped. "Holy fish cakes! I just remembered something!!" she shouted.

Syrus blinked. "Fish...cakes...?"

"What is it, Violet?" Annie asked.

"I still have to have my duel with Jaden! Alien against alien, remember?" Violet explained, pulling out her deck.

"Oh yeah! I forgot about that. Annie, what if we have the duel after you call your parents? Maybe we can have it outside so you can get some fresh air," Syrus offered.

"Would that be okay, Kisara?" asked Alexis.

Kisara nodded. "Annie, are you okay with that?"

Annie nodded, smiling. "Yay, Violet! This is going to rock!"

"Hooray! My Galaxy Aliens up against Jaden's Neo-spacians!!" cheered Violet.

Meanwhile, out in the hall... "Man, we got unceremoniously tossed, didn't we?" Chazz said.

"Um...why would she need privacy, Bastion?" Jaden asked.

"She needed to powder her nose..."

"She...needed to do her make-up?"

"Um...no..."

Atticus pouted. "I still don't get it. I can stick around when Alexis puts on her make-up."

Chazz groaned. "Guys...she needed to go to the bathroom..." Jaden blushed.

Atticus blinked. "Oh. It makes sense now."

"Oh, dear..." Bastion sighed. "Jaden, are you planning to duel Violet?"

"Oh, crud, I almost forgot! Well, if it's okay with the doctors," he said, looking meaningfully at Hiro.

Hiro nodded. "I'm sure that it will be all right. As long as it's not Annie doing the dueling."

Atticus grinned. "Hey, Jaden, you think Violet has any rare cards?"

"Probably a good bet that she does. Man, Zane, I'd better watch my back. I mean, Annie beat you, so Violet could take me down. It can't be worse than when Aster got me, but then I got him!" the boy said with a grin.

"Yeah...Violet wasn't working for a psycho nutcase."

"And I stood up to said nutcase," Chazz said.

Hiro blinked. "Are you talking about that Sartorius fellow Bastion emailed me about?" Atticus nodded.

"Yeah...he wanted to take over the world and I think he wanted us to join a cult or something," Chazz said. "I said no, I wanted to beat Jaden without help."

"Thanks, bro!" Jaden said, smiling.

"Yeah, Dad, he was a psychotic nutcase, but after Chazz said no to him, rather colorfully, Jaden returned, beat Aster and then beat the stuffing out of Sartorius after an incident here in Domino. It was quite something to watch, actually," Bastion concluded.

"Oh my...well, I'm glad that things turned out all right." Hiro replied.

Then, the door opened to reveal Darla. "You guys can come back in now."

The boys returned and saw Annie sitting in a wheelchair, her hair brushed. Her lower half was covered in a blanket. "Hey, guys. Jaden, I think Violet wants to duel you!"

"Of course I do! I want you guys to see my trump card first, though. I always show my opponents exactly what's going to crush them." Violet explained.

She brought out the pink card case, opening it to pull out the "King Watapon" card.

Syrus blinked. "It's a giant Watapon...with a crown?"

"That looks kinda like my Ojama King..." Chazz said, impressed. "Slacker...I think you're doomed."

"Maybe, maybe not..." Jaden said, grinning. "Don't call me doomed before the duel's played..."

Annie smiled. "This'll be fun, either way..."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go outside and start the duel! I'm so excited I can hardly stand still!!" shouted Violet, grinning.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "You're just like Jaden. Always eager for a duel."

Annie smiled. "Outside? Nice..." She settled into her wheelchair, ready to be pushed. "This almost beats sitting in bed watching 'Deep Space Nine' with you, Sy...but it doesn't..."

Syrus smiled and blushed a little.

When they were finally outside, Jaden and Violet stood a few feet apart and started their duel disks. "Let's see who has the stronger alien, Jaden! My Galaxy Aliens or your Neo-spacians!!"

_Cliffhanger, everyone! Next time, how will the Galaxy Aliens fare against Jaden's powerful Neo-spacians? You'll just have to find out in "Neo-Space Versus Outer Space!" Please read and review!_


	31. Neo Space Versus Outer Space!

Chapter XXXI: Neo-Space Versus Outer Space

_Hello again, everyone and welcome back to another chapter of "Summer Love Summer Fears." Thanks for your reviews and remember that we love you! Also remember that we only own our OCs and that 15animefreak15 owns the Galaxy Aliens that haven't been written, drawn or established in any way. Thank you and on with the story!_

"All right! Let's get our game on!" Jaden grinned happily. Kisara decided to come out with the kids and other doctors and watch.

"It's been a while since I've seen my boy duel," Jayda grinned. "Didn't he duel Alexis?" she asked Scout.

"Yeah, and I think that was the duel that made Alexis really fall for him."

Alexis blushed. "Yeah...it was actually," she replied, smiling.

"Hey, Jaden! Wait until you feel the power of the solar system!!" Violet called as they drew their hands.

"I'll feel it, but you'll feel my Elemental Heroes blast it!" Jaden grinned, then frowned. "That didn't sound right..."

She blinked a few times. "Er...right. Why don't I let you go first, Blast Master?"

"Okay, Violet!" Jaden drew his hand as Violet drew hers. "I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart (1500 ATK/1600 DEF) in attack mode and I lay one card facedown and end my turn."

"My turn now!" Violet drew her sixth card, a grin instantly coming to her face. "All right! Sweet hand!! First, I'll activate the field spell card Outer Space!" she began. The entire field morphed into an outer space backdrop, with stars and planets.

"Wow! It looks like something out of Star Trek or Star Wars!" Annie said.

"Yes, it does," Bastion added. "Go Violet! Sorry, Jaden, but I can't root for you this time..."

"I understand, Bastion!" Jaden grinned.

Violet smiled and waved to Bastion, then continued her move. "Anyway, next I'll summon my Mercurian Soldier (1400/1200) to the field in Attack Position!" A small, pale grey creature wearing silver armor with a dark gray cape appeared. It was carrying a laser crossbow. "And thanks to Outer Space, it gains an extra 500 attack! So now it can easily destroy your Wildheart!!" The alien took aim and fired a laser at the wild warrior.

"Sorry, Violet, but I activate my trap, Negate Attack! That means your attack is stopped and your battle phase ends!"

Violet pouted. "Aw, no fair! Well, since Mercurian Soldier (14001900/1200) was the only monster on my field when I summoned it, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Alien-Type monster from my deck. So, I'll Special Summon my Vesuvian Invader (19002400/1200) to the field in Attack Position. I set two face-downs and end my turn. Beat that, Jay!" she explained. There was now a tall, orange creature wearing golden armor with an orange cape standing beside the grey one. It was also carrying a flaming sword.

"Jaden's got it tough...Violet's got two powerful monsters on the field now," stated Alexis, frowning.

"I wouldn't count him out," Annie said gently. "But Violet...she's dangerous..."

"Yeah?" Kisara asked.

"Yeah...her deck is very volatile..."

"Hey! What does 'volatile' mean?" Violet called, having heard their conversation.

Alexis sweat-dropped. 'Reminds me of Jaden...never focuses all their attention on the duel...' she thought.

"It means your deck is explosive and unpredictable, Violet!" Annie explained.

"Cool!" Jaden grinned. "What about mine, Annie?"

"Yours is a little calmer..."

The purple-headed girl grinned, sticking her tongue out at Jaden playfully. "My deck's more explosive than Jaden's!" Violet sang teasingly.

Jaden grinned and countered good-naturedly, "Maybe my deck explodes at the right times, Violet! My move!" He scanned his hand and drew. 'She's got two face-downs and two monsters. I've got one monster and no face-downs. I think the first thing to do is shore up my life-points... And since I have a couple of monsters I can't summon otherwise, I'll lay a trap as well...' "Okay! I summon Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird (800/600) and thanks to his special effect, I gain 500 life-points for every card in your hand!" Jaden's life-points jumped to 5000 points. "And then I lay one card facedown and end my turn."

"Whoa...this is...unusual..." Chazz commented.

"Yeah, Jaden isn't playing as he usually does..." Bastion added.

Syrus nodded. "Usually, Jay does more...action," he stated.

Violet drew her next card and smiled. 'I have two pieces of the puzzle already! Just two more...' she thought. "I'll have my Mercurian Soldier (1900/1200) attack that hummingbird!" Violet stated, the grey alien firing another laser from its crossbow.

Jaden knew he had to allow it. "Dang, Violet you got me!"

"Uh oh..." Annie said.

"Huh?" Chazz asked.

"He's planning something..." she muttered. Jaden's life points dropped to 4100.

Violet was thinking the same thing, but had never let that stop her before. "All right. Now, Vesuvian Invader (2400/1200), destroy his last monster!" she commanded. The orange alien charged, slashing its fiery saber at Wildheart.

Jaden grinned. "Gotcha! I activate my trap! You've gone after Wildheart, so once he's destroyed, my trap activates!" Wildheart was destroyed. "I use Hero Counterattack and you have to select a card in my hand! If it's an Elemental Hero, I destroy one monster on your side of the field and summon my monster to the field!"

"Knew you had something planned. Okay...I pick...the middle one!" she stated, pointing.

Jaden's grin widened. "You picked my Elemental Hero Neos! And that means you lose Vesuvian Invader! Hey, Annie?"

"Yeah?" "What's that song you sang from the stands when Sy beat Missy?"

"Uh...'Sha na na na, sha na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye...'" She blushed fire red. "Sorry, Violet!" she called as the Invader was destroyed and Neos came to the field.

Violet smirked. "I'm glad I picked Neos! Now, I can get rid of him with this!! Activate facedown Trap Card, Inter-Dimensional Disease! It works like this. I equip it to your Neos, and now he can't attack. Plus, he loses 500 attack points during each of your end phases! And once they hit zero, he's automatically destroyed!!" she explained happily. Syrus grimaced. "Looks like Jaden's plan backfired..."

"Aw, crap!" Jaden groaned.

But Annie caught something. "He's up to something..." she said.

"Say what?" Chazz asked.

"I know all of you and you have tells...Jaden's tell is almost imperceptible...but it's there..."

Syrus blinked. "Really?" he asked, just as surprised.

Violet, however, didn't notice that he was up to something this time. "Just to be safe, I'll activate the Spell Card Small Canyon. This allows each player to only attack with one monster during each of their Battle Phases. I end my turn there," she explained, smiling.

Jaden drew a card and grinned. "Violet, you're probably going to want to pound me in a minute, but...aw, heck...Sorry, guys! I first play the spell card Giant Trunade and your magic cards go bye-bye..."

"Hey, that's my line!" Chazz yelled.

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned.

She groaned. "Oh, that's just perfect! Let me guess, you're gonna attack, right?" Violet called, sighing.

Alexis shook her head lightly. "Talk about drawing the perfect card..."

Jaden's points had dropped to 3200, but he was grinning. "Not yet...I use a new spell card, 'Elemental Barrage,' which takes 600 life-points from your total!"

Violet frowned. "I'm so gonna get you back on my next turn, Jay!" she yelled.

"And then I attack with Neos! Sorry, Violet! I take down Mercurian Soldier which, due to losing Outer Space drops back to its original 1400 attack points."

Bastion looked bummed. "It's a duel...I know they're dueling as friends," he sighed.

"It's okay, Bastion..." Annie said, trying to calm him.

She gritted her teeth as her life-points dropped to 2300, her last line of defense destroyed. Violet noticed her fiancé looking a little down, and sent him a grin. "Hey, Bastion-baby! Don't worry, I'll bounce back on my turn!!" she called confidently.

Jaden had a look on his face that Annie hadn't seen before. "What the heck?"

"Annie, what's wrong?" Kisara asked.

"I haven't seen this look on his face before..."

Jayda saw it. "I've seen it before...he doesn't like this duel..."

"Say what?" Chazz asked.

"He doesn't like seeing you all feeling torn..." the mother answered.

Syrus frowned. "It's kind of like when he dueled Zane..." he stated.

Alexis sighed. "That's the one problem in a duel with friends," she replied, shaking her head.

Zane realized. "He's going to figure a way to end it...Am I right, Jayda?"

The woman who looked like she might be Jaden's twin nodded. "He's going to..."

Violet, never one for patience, was tapping her foot on the ground. "Hey, Jay! Can I start my turn now? I wanna make my comeback!!" she called, snapping everyone's attention back to the duel.

Jaden grinned. "Go ahead , Violet..."

She grinned. "It's about time!" Violet drew, and though she hated being repetitive, re-activated her cards. "All right, first, I'll activate Outer Space and Small Canyon! Then, I'll set three cards facedown, and summon my Watapon (300800/400) to the field!!" The space background returned, along with the pink puffball. "With that I'll end my turn," she stated.

Jaden looked at Violet. He had the card he needed to end this, but he wanted to be sure before he did anything. "Hey, Violet? Question..."

Violet blinked. "Huh? What is it, Jay??" she asked.

"Just wondering about this duel...I'm wondering if you're totally okay...Maybe it's just me...I just want to be sure we're both totally in this..."

She tilted her head, a little confused. "Jay, I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to ask me here..."

"It's just...I don't want to duel you if you're not totally okay to duel. You've just been through a lot the last few days..."

Violet understood now, and grinned. "Jaden, you have it so backwards it's not even funny! I'm loving this duel!! I've been waiting to duel you for so long, and you're a really awesome duelist! I'm giving my all in this, so can you give me yours, too?" she asked happily.

"Okay...maybe I was just over-thinking..."

"You, over-thinking?!" Chazz grinned, laughing. "I think that means you're actually thinking!"

"I'm always thinking..."

"Yeah, of lunch!"

Alexis placed a hand on Chazz's shoulder, and gave it a practically bone-crushing squeeze. "All right, bro, that's enough of that," she growled warningly. Jaden was, after all, her fiancé.

Chazz looked at his sister, eyes wide. "I was just teasing, Lexi! No need to put me back in here! I'll be good!"

Jaden looked over at his fiancée. "It's okay, babe! He doesn't mean it...much!"

She had already turned to her usually calm, collected self, and waved to Jaden. "I know, Jay! Just focus on the duel!!" Alexis called, menacing tone having disappeared in an instant.

"Gotcha, babe... Game on, Violet?" he called, losing the look they'd all caught.

"Game on to the extreme, Jay!!" she called back excitedly.

"Hey Violet! I think you may love or hate this...Since you like space, too, I hope you'll love my spell card, Neo Space!"

Violet groaned as real space was replaced with the rainbow-colored Neo Space, dropping her Watapon's attack back to 300. "Well, at least it's cool looking!" she called back.

"Thanks! And then I summon Hero Kid (300/600) to the field! Then I lay one card facedown, and attack Watapon with Neos! Sorry, Watapon! I have to do it!" he apologized to the cute little puffball.

"Huh? Why's he apologizing?" Jayda asked.

"Watapon's Violet's duel spirit, Jayda," Annie explained.

"Oh, I get it..."

"My Watapon isn't going anywhere, Jay! Activate facedown Trap Card, Inter-Dimensional Shield!! This negates an attack on an Alien-Type monster and ends your Battle Phase," Violet explained with a grin, Neos' attack hitting a glowing force field.

"Dang!" Jaden yelled. "Okay, well you got me there! I'll get you later. I gotta end my turn!"

She grinned and drew her card, nearly jumping with excitement upon sight of it. 'The third piece of the puzzle! This is great!!' thought Violet happily. "Sorry to disappoint you, Jay, but you can't get rid of outer space that easily! By removing an Alien-Type monster in my 

Graveyard, I can bring it back to my hand!! So, I'll remove Mercurian Soldier from the game to do just that. Lucky for you, though, I can't activate it until my next turn. Then, I'll switch Watapon (300/500) to defense mode and activate a Trap Card you might recognize! Inter-Dimensional Disease, infect Neos once more!!" Violet explained, grinning maniacally.

Jaden sighed and smiled. "Violet, you aren't going to like this...I just got a new card this week and I'm glad I decided to use it in this duel. I use the magic card Elemental Antidote. I have to use it on an Elemental Hero that's been affected by a virus-like trap or magic card. And once I use it, your card's effect is stopped and it's removed! Then Neos, in addition to the power boost he gets from Neo Space, also gains 1000 attack points. If I choose to attack you, I attack you directly and you lose half of Neos' new attack points. You also can't stop this attack..." So Jaden attacked Violet directly.

Violet winced as she nearly lost all of her Life Points, dragged down to 300. However, the grin was still on her face. "And you're not gonna like THIS, Jay! You just activated my last Trap Card, Crater Tunnel!! Now, Neos gets destroyed, and every monster on your side of the field with less attack gets destroyed, too!" she explained happily.

Jaden grinned sheepishly. "Man, I might've been completely defenseless, Violet, but I have another spell card. I use 'Flute of Summoning Kuriboh' and I use it to summon my buddy, Winged Kuriboh (300/200). Hi, buddy!" he said. Winged Kuriboh trilled.

"Aw...my favorite green-pawed tribble!!" Annie squealed.

"Uh...Annie? What's a tribble?" Zane asked.

"It's a brown puffball that eats and multiplies. It was on the original Star Trek series and it's so cute!" Annie explained, stars in her eyes.

"Ah, a Kuriboh fan," Kisara smiled knowingly. "Haven't seen a girl yet who hates Kuriboh..."

Back at the duel, Jaden kept Kuriboh in defense mode. "Okay, Violet! Your turn!"

Violet drew her card, a little disappointed that it wasn't the fourth piece of the puzzle. "All right. First, I'll activate Outer Space! Then, I'll sacrifice Watapon (800/500) to Tribute Summon Mind Probe (1000/1600)!!" A normal space background returned once more, and then a metal spider with a single mechanical eye appeared on the field. However, instead of taking Watapon's place, it attached itself to the small Alien-Beast monster. "You're probably wondering why my Watapon is still on the field, right?" she asked, smiling.

"Yeah, the thought had crossed my mind..."

Chazz seemed poised to say something, but then saw his sister giving him her look of death and refrained.

"Well, when Mind Probe is Tribute Summoned, rather than sending the tributed monster to the Graveyard, it attaches itself to the monster like an equip card. Plus, the equipped monster gets Mind Probe's attack and defense as a boost! Not only has my Watapon (1800/2100) grown stronger, but Mind Probe lets me see every card in your hand. Isn't the little alien machine just a wonderful invention?" Violet asked, smiling and waiting for Jaden to show her his hand.

"Yeah...great," Jaden grinned. "I'd actually like one!" In his hand were three cards. Two were spell cards and one was a monster card, Chrysalis Dolphin.

"Well, I'll switch my Watapon (1800/2100) to attack mode and attack your Winged Kuriboh (300/200)! Sorry, cutie!!" she called to the little duel monster. The attack was actually quite comical, since Watapon hopped innocently over to Winged Kuriboh and head-butted him.

"Aw," the women sighed. Chazz looked a little weirded out at their reactions. Then Winged Kuriboh blew up. Watapon sweat-dropped and looked a little singed.

"Sorry, buddy," Jaden apologized to his own monster. "You had to take one for the team. But since Winged Kuriboh was destroyed, I don't have any damage..."

Violet nodded. "I know. So, I'll end my turn. But I'll get you on my next one, Jay! And don't forget to show me the card you draw," she reminded, smiling.

"No problem..." Jaden drew. It was the spell card, Monster Reborn. "I guess you know I'm probably going to use this, huh?"

She sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I don't see why you wouldn't."

Jaden nodded. "Yeah...I use Monster Reborn to summon Neos back to the field." And then he looked at his hand. "Violet?"

"Yeah, Jay?"

"This has been a great duel and I could crush you right now...but I'm not going to..."

Violet blinked in surprise. "What?"

Jaden grinned. "This has been one heck of a duel and I don't want either of us to lose. I know you saw that other magic card in my hand, 'Mutual Destruction...' You know what it does?"

"Yeah...you're actually gonna use it??" she asked, still surprised.

He nodded. "I'd rather we tie... unless you want me to take you down...I didn't say that right..."

Violet shrugged. "Do what you want, Jay. Either way it goes, this is one of the most fun duels I've ever had!" she replied, smiling.

Jaden grinned back. "Well then, I use the magic card, 'Mutual Destruction!' It works like this...My opponent has to have less life-points than me and I have to have a stronger monster on the field than you. Our life-points automatically drop to zero. And that ends the duel..." A huge bomb not unlike a bunker buster appeared between them and blew up with a lot of fire and a mushroom cloud.

"WHOA!" everybody shouted at once.

When the smoke cleared, Violet was jumping up and down excitedly. "That was so COOL!! It went BOOM!!" she shouted, waving her arms excitedly.

Everyone stood stunned for a minute. "Wow...that was..." Chazz began.

"Extremely mature..." Kisara said calmly.

"Whoa! That was awesome, Violet, and that's game!" Jaden said as both their life-points dropped to zero. "Man, your Galaxy Aliens are SWEET!"

Violet grinned. "Your Neo-spacians aren't all that bad either, Jay! HUG FOR THE DRAW!!" she yelled, tackling Jaden in a friendly hug.

Syrus laughed. "Violet's the second person to tie with Jay in a duel."

"Yeah, I was the first, but I beat him in the first duel..." Zane reminded his brother.

Meanwhile, Jaden returned the hug with equal force. "I think they were separated at birth," Annie said, stunned.

"They do have a lot in common. Alien decks, cute duel spirits, constantly energetic," replied Alexis, sweat-dropping.

Violet stood, Watapon appearing on her shoulder. "Watapon says that he liked dueling you, Jaden. So did his brothers," she finished, referring to Winged Watapon, Watapon Totem and King Watapon. Even though they hadn't dueled, they had watched their brother duel and that had been fun.

"Thanks, guys," Jaden said, smiling at the Watapons. Winged Kuriboh trilled at the creatures.

"A pleasure," Neo-spacian Aqua Dolphin said, bowing.

"What did you think, Sy and Annie?" Jaden asked.

Annie smiled. "In ancient Greece, a tie belonged to God. I'm glad when there's a tie when my friends duel because then I don't have to feel bad that someone lost."

Syrus grinned. "I thought it was awesome, Jay! Dueling you isn't exactly easy."

Violet scratched her head. "I don't know about ancient Greece, but I do know a compliment when I hear one! Thanks, guys!!"

Annie grinned. Bastion sighed. "Will I ever know what to do with either of you? I just can't figure your decks...All my logic..."

"Bastion...logic isn't everything," Annie reminded him.

Violet grinned and hugged her boyfriend. "Annie's right, Bastion-baby! You want to know why you can't figure out our decks?"

"Darling, I'd love some insights..."

"It's simple! We don't duel the same way as you. Instead of constantly planning ahead, we just wing it! I had no idea if I was even going to draw any of my Watapons, but I'd keep dueling off the top of my head. Draw a card, plan a move, and GO!!" she explained, pumping her fist into the air.

"But...but..."

"Bastion...Star Trek Six...'Logic is the beginning of wisdom...'" Annie quoted.

"'Not the end...'" Bastion concluded. "Annie...do you plan your duels?"

"Partly...but I think on my feet a lot of the time...you can't predict everything..."

Violet ruffled Bastion's hair so that it stuck out every which way. "I told ya, Bastion-baby, I'll make a rebel out of you yet! And I plan on sticking to what I say, thank you very much."

Syrus laughed. "Bastion? A rebel?? I can't wait to see that..."

"Neither can I...Dad? May I speak with you privately a moment?" Bastion asked.

Hiro blinked in surprise. "Of course, son."

_Yet another cliffhanger! So Jaden tied by choice and Bastion seems to be up to something. What could it be? You'll just have to tune in next time! So until then, please read and review!_


	32. Loving Nerds

Chapter XXXII: Loving Nerds

_Welcome back, GX fans and again, thanks for your reading and your continuing reviews of "Summer Love, Summer Fears." We hope again that we have managed to keep this all believable and entertaining. And we hope you continue to stay with this story. 15animefreak15 and Peach Wookiee have had such fun with this story and were glad you all have been enjoying it. And so, we come to the latest chapter._

_Last time, Jaden dueled Violet and chose to tie rather than completely crush her. He didn't want to crush Bastion's girlfriend and his friend. And then, Bastion mysteriously called his father away for a moment. What is happening with that and what else will happen? Read and find out!_

_**Legal mumbo-jumbo: The two authoresses of this tale claim no ownership of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or its characters. Peach Wookiee owns Annie, while 15animefreak15 owns Violet and Rosa. The authoresses also own their interpretations and this storyline.**_

Hiro blinked in surprise. "Of course son." The two walked away from the group until they were out of earshot. "What is it?"

"Dad...I need your advice regarding...proposals," Bastion said, and swallowed.

Hiro was confused for a moment, but then the statement fully registered. "Bastion, son, you don't mean that you plan on..." He was unsure if what he was guessing was correct or not.

"Dad...I want to ask Violet for her hand in marriage...and...I'm not quite certain how to go about it...I love her, Dad, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her... We'll finish school, of course..."

Hiro sighed and smiled, putting his hand on his only son's shoulder. "I'm glad to hear that, son. I'm sure that you two will be very good to each other. I'm proud of you..." Hiro thought for a moment. "As for the proposal, I suggest going with what your heart says. Every man has his own way of going about it, so it would be wrong if you simply did what I had."

"Umm...what did you do, Dad?"

"Well, son, I invited your mother out to dinner. I knew that she would order her favorite dessert, and had paid the restaurant to place the ring in the dish. You can guess just how surprised your mother was when she bit into a four-karat diamond ring."

Bastion laughed. "Well, I don't have the budget to pull that off, Dad...but..." He pulled something out of his pocket. "I got this for her just before we left the academy. Dorothy just happened to have it."

Hiro's eyes widened, as he'd been expecting a ring of some sort. Instead, Bastion held in his hand a pink crystal Watapon on a 24-karat gold necklace, complete with two small sapphires for eyes. "Son, it's wonderful. I'm sure that Violet will absolutely love it."

"I wanted something as unique as she is...and she loves Watapon," Bastion smiled a little bit shyly. "Dad...I know most gents get rings, but Violet is special...I just hope she wasn't expecting normalcy."

Hiro glanced over Bastion's shoulder at the group. At the moment, Violet seemed to be trying to make a grass chain since there were no daisies. Exasperated since it wasn't working, she tossed them into the air and sneezed when one landed on her nose. He laughed quietly and smiled. "Bastion my boy, I think she was hoping for anything but normalcy. You made a splendid decision."

Bastion drew a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Jaden looked around. "Man, I am so going to want a snack..."

"You always want a snack, Jaden," Zane said wryly. "Remember my last duel with you? You had Dorothy make rice balls!"

"What?" Jayda asked, laughing.

"I got hungry, Mom!"

Violet grinned. "Hey, if you'd ordered food during our duel, I'd be glad to have some, too. Nothing like a snack intermission!"

Syrus smiled, then leaned down to whisper to Annie. "Hey, what do you think Bastion and his dad are talking about? He looked nervous about something..."

"Hmmm..." Annie looked at Bastion's expression and his dad's smile. "I'd better not say anything...I have an idea, but it's only a guess, Sy..."

Syrus blinked. "Really? Well, what's your guess??" he whispered curiously.

"Well, before we left, Bastion bought something at the student store, and it was really pricey...It was a necklace with a Watapon made out of really expensive crystal and it had real sapphires for eyes. I think...Bastion's really serious about her," Annie whispered back.

Syrus' eyes went wide. "You don't think..."

Meanwhile, Hiro was still speaking with Bastion over the proposal. "So then, son, when do you plan on 'popping the question', as they say?"

"I was toying with tomorrow morning, actually, Dad...Wake her with breakfast in bed and have the box on the tray. I wouldn't chance putting it in the food because, well, Violet eats a lot like Jaden and that can be hazardous. We'd end up in the ER here."

"Good idea, Bastion. I'd say that's a wonderful way to propose. How do you think her parents will take it?" Hiro knew that some parents were over-protective of their children, particularly daughters.

"I hope...well...I love her, Dad...At least I don't think I'll have to run the gauntlet like Hassleberry has to do tomorrow. But I'd do it."

"I know that you would, son. It is all up to you in the end, and I know that you will make the correct decision. Now...I believe your soon-to-be fiancée is getting bored."

"Hey, guys?" Annie asked, squeezing Sy's hand to keep him quiet. "After I call my folks, would you guys like to watch TV or play video games or something?"

"TV?" Jaden asked.

"What would you like to watch, Annie?" Bastion asked.

"Let me think...hopefully something we can all agree on..."

Chazz looked at her. "Your call, Annie..."

"Hey, not everybody likes what I like..."

"As long as it's not sports. Anything else is just dandy...which rhymes with candy!" Violet giggled.

"Go ahead, Annie. You can pick," offered Syrus, smiling.

"I'll decide after I've talked to Mom and Dad...I wonder how Bobby's feeling about this," Annie sighed.

Kisara stood from where she was sitting and said to Annie, "You've got a good big brother. He was there when we talked to your mom and dad earlier, sweetie. Just think about what you'd like to watch and you can talk to your parents, okay?"

"Okay..."

"You want me to stay with you, Annie?" Syrus asked as they headed inside.

Meanwhile, Violet prodded Bastion's arm to get his attention, staring up at him suspiciously. "And just what was that little conversation about, anyway? You're hiding something..."

"Darling...all will be revealed, but not right now..." Bastion grinned. "I believe you'll like what's coming, Violet...just wait..."

Annie looked at Syrus, who walked alongside her wheelchair. "Yeah...I feel better when you're with me, Syrus..."

Kisara, pushing Annie's chair, said, "Annie, we have a video phone set up so you can talk with them and see them, okay?"

Annie nodded. "Mom and Dad know you, Sy, but you really haven't met them yet...Mom and Dad will love you!"

Violet pouted. 'I hate waiting. This better be good,' she thought.

Meanwhile, Syrus smiled. "Thank, Annie. You really think they'll like me?" he asked nervously.

Annie nodded, smiling. "Daddy thinks you're great. 'He sounds so nice, honey. And he's polite?' I told him yes and that you and I had been making eyes at each other, but were both too nervous until the...sensitivity training..."

Syrus laughed a little at the memory. "If it wasn't for that 'sensitivity training', we all may never have gotten together. It's a good thing you and Violet thought of it."

"Yeah..." Annie blushed. Most of the group got back in Annie's room, while Syrus and Annie headed down to the same conference room that the doctors had used earlier. Kisara and Darla Truesdale headed in with the two kids, while Jayda, Hiro and Scout stayed in the room with the other teens. "All right," Kisara said, "Annie, you and Sy can talk directly with Alex and Kathy..." Annie nodded, waiting for her mom and dad to pick up.

Alex's form came up on the view screen. "Hello, Hanson resi-oh! Annie, it's you!! You don't know how glad I am to see you looking so well."

"Hi, Daddy!" Annie said happily.

"Hi, sweetie!" Kathy said. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, and Syrus hasn't left me and our friends are here! Oh, and Daddy, I made Syrus a Niner!"

Alex laughed. "I knew that you would sooner or later. Is that him?"

Syrus smiled sheepishly and waved. "Hi, Annie's mom and dad...I'm Syrus."

"Syrus...oh, I'm sorry, these are Alex and Kathy...Where's Bobby?"

On cue, her brother came in. "Annie! Hey! Man, you scared me...is this your boyfriend?"

"Yeah! Sy, this is my brother, Robert, but I call him Bobby! Bobby, this is Sy!"

"Hi, Bobby. It's nice to meet all of you..." he greeted nervously.

Alex smiled. "You two really are made for each other, Annie. Like two peas in a pod."

"Dad!" Annie squealed, laughing.

"Honey, did Kisara tell you?" Kathy asked, looking concerned.

Annie nodded and answered, "But I already knew, Mom...and I'm not scared..." She looked back at the two doctors. "And Sy's mom has been awfully nice, too!"

Darla smiled. "Just doing my job, sweetie. Glad I could help. I would have even if you weren't my son's girlfriend."

Annie smiled. "And guess what else! Kisara's husband and his friends and their families hung out with us!"

"Well, that's wonderful, Annie. I'm just glad that you're doing okay. We were all worried about you," replied Alex.

"I know, Daddy...I wish...I wasn't such a worry...but...it'll be okay..." she said calmly.

Kisara smiled, coming forward. "Alex, the kids will stay here with Annie a bit longer and then they'll go home, but Syrus is planning to stay over again. Oh, Annie beat a Pro League duelist the other day...Sy's big brother..."

"That's my girl! I knew you were a skilled duelist," Alex stated, grinning.

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, you should have seen it. The duel was pretty amazing."

"I was just lucky Usagi and Moon Astral Cleansing Activation were in my hand or I couldn't have done it. I'm really not that great," Annie blushed.

"I'm sure that you would have found a way, Annie. You just have to believe in yourself more."

"Maybe...but boy, you should've seen Violet today! She and Jaden Yuki tied! It was awesome! His Neo-spacians versus her Galaxy Aliens! It rocked!"

"Violet? Oh! The friend you made at Duel Academy. That duel must have been an interesting sight. From what you've told us, Jaden's a strong duelist so she must be one tough cookie."

"Yeah, Daddy! She is...And she's dating Bastion Misawa...he's really something. If he doesn't become a pro duelist, Dad, you should hire him. Bobby, I think he could build something worse than a MOAB!"

"MOAB, Annie?"

"Mother of All Bombs...those bunker-buster things..."

Alex laughed. "I'll consider it, Annie. Of course he still has a year of school left, so we'll see how things are by then."

"Yeah..." Annie got a wistful look on her face and looked at Sy. "One more year..."

Syrus blushed. "Annie, you okay?"

"Just thinking...a lot can happen..." She shook herself out of it. "Anyway, I think our whole group's going to have dinner together again, guys! Last night, Seto bought us all pizza! It was so cool eating it with him and Yugi Muto and all of them, right, Sy?"

"Yeah! I can't believe how much Jaden, Violet, Joey, and Tristan ate. I wonder if they'll do the same thing tonight," he replied, sweat-dropping.

"Yeah. Joey Wheeler can really eat!" Annie said. "It's kind of funny, Daddy and Mom! Our group is kind of like Yugi, Seto and Joey's group!"

Kisara nodded in agreement and Kathy grinned. "Too many similarities?"

"Yeah, guess you could say that." Syrus replied, grinning.

Alex laughed. "No wonder you all get along so well then!"

"Yeah...and Daddy, Kisara's from Seattle! Right?"

"Yeah, Alex, I was raised there."

"What a coincidence! Maybe the next time you're up here you can come and visit us."

"I'd be delighted," Kisara said.

"Mom, Dad, Bobby...I love you..." Annie said. "I'll call you tomorrow...I have a feeling that I'll have a lot of big news tomorrow...Most of it very good!"

"We love you, sweetie. Be careful and have fun with your friends. Goodbye, Syrus. Take care of my little girl," stated Alex.

Syrus nodded. "I-I will, sir..."

They hung up, and the brave front Annie had been putting up started to really come down. "Annie, are you okay?" Kisara asked.

Annie nodded tiredly. "It's just...a lot...You know?" Kisara knelt to Annie's level and hugged her.

Syrus smiled. "It's okay, Annie. We're all here for you...everyone." Darla nodded in agreement with her youngest son.

"Thanks, guys." They headed back to the room and the mothers/doctors got Annie back into bed.

Kisara smiled. "Before I go for tonight, is everybody staying around until it's time for Annie to go to bed?"

"Of course! I'm not tired at all!!" shouted Violet, grinning.

Alexis and Atticus nodded. "We don't mind staying. It's nice to keep each other company," Alexis added.

"That goes for me too. Mom, you and Dad don't mind, do you?" Jaden asked. Jayda shook her head.

"You kids can stay," Scout said. "But Atticus Lee Rhodes, you slow down on the freeway, you hear me?"

Atticus pouted. "Fine, Mom..."

Chazz looked at his future big brother. "Mom, tell Atticus that he can't teach Jaden to drive, please?!"

"Aw, c'mon, Chazz!"

"Do I want to know?" Jayda asked Scout.

"You don't...you really don't..."

"Okay, since that's settled," Kisara said, "you kids had pizza last night, so what would you like tonight?"

"Like I said before, anything but Chinese!" stated Violet right away.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Well...what else can be delivered?"

Kisara smiled. "Oh, there's Burger Barn, Casa Taco, Hansa Thai...you learn there are a lot of places that deliver when you have Joey and Tristan as friends and a boyfriend, then a husband who works like crazy...when I think of the nights I had dinner with Mokie and Seto at the Kaiba Corp office..." she sighed, laughing.

"I'm up for some Mexican food," stated Alexis, smiling.

"Hey! Like Rosa, right?" asked Atticus.

Syrus laughed. "No, Atty. She's Spanish..."

"There's a difference?" Jaden asked. Chazz groaned.

"Annie? Perhaps you had better explain?" Bastion asked.

"Yeah, there is a difference, Jaden...For one thing, V sounds are B sounds thanks to one ruler having a lisp," Annie said. "And then the food's different...they don't have tacos..."

"No tacos?" Jaden asked, looking a little freaked out.

"Nope! But I took Spanish in school, so I learned a few things. They have paella and churros, for one!" Violet explained, smiling proudly.

"Churros?? Rosa's so lucky! I'd take a churro over a taco any day," replied Atticus.

"Yum...that's one thing that made it to Mexico and the States," Annie said happily. "Well, let's do Mexican, then. And guys, I hope you don't mind watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."

"Yes!" Bastion said, pumping his fist in triumph.

"Oh, great..." Chazz sighed.

"You mean with light sabers?" Jaden asked. "Kidding! I know what Star Trek is!"

Violet giggled at everyone's reactions. "My uncle was a Trekkie. As long as there's some action, I'm fine with it."

Syrus nodded. "So...what's everyone getting?"

Kisara grinned and took everyone's orders. Annie, for her part, went with steak fajitas with sour cream and guacamole. Jaden chose the Mondo Platter which had all kinds of things, Chazz chose enchiladas and Bastion, to everyone's surprise, chose peccadillo chimichangas. "They're deep fried, but I love those..."

Alexis got a few soft shell tacos while Atticus got hard shell. Syrus decided to get some burritos. Violet went with nothing more than a large order of nachos. "They're cheesy!"

Kisara and the other doctors stepped outside after the food was delivered and the kids were embroiled in a rather funny episode from Deep Space Nine's third season. "Okay, who's going home?" she asked.

"I am," Scout said. "I've got to figure out how to reconfigure Atty's room so he and Chazz can stay together."

"I'm going, too...We're repainting Jay's room before Alexis stays over," Jayda smiled

"I'll stay. My son may want to...speak with me, a bit more. And I don't mind watching over Annie," explained Hiro.

Darla nodded. "I'll stay, too. Hiro, you go home when Bastion and Violet do."

"I thought as much," Kisara said calmly. "Bastion's planning something for tomorrow...Just like Seto did..."

"What?" Scout and Jayda asked. "Oh, he proposed about three months after we started dating. I know the signs..."

Hiro smiled, running a hand through his hair. "So you knew, then? I might as well explain. Bastion had purchased a necklace for Violet before they left the academy. Tomorrow he's going serve her breakfast in bed and propose with it. The necklace has a crystal pink Watapon on it with real sapphires for eyes. I'm so proud of him..."

"Aw...you raised a good boy, Hiro," Jayda said. "I know Jay and Alexis are engaged, but he's wanting to do something for her...he emailed me a few days ago..."

"He's planning something?" Scout asked.

"I can't say anything more, Scout..."

"I don't know about my Syrus. It seems everyone's making the big steps but him and Annie. But, oh, it can wait. He'll do it when he feels the time is right," explained Darla.

"Darla..." Kisara said, "everybody thought Yugi would take forever to ask Tea, but...he asked her while he was in the hospital...she'd given up something for him because she didn't want to be gone if something happened to him..."

"Really? What was it??" Hiro asked curiously.

"Well, she originally wanted to study at Juilliard as a ballerina, but the day she got the letter, Yugi tried to kill himself. She kept it from the gang until two days later, and she had been thinking about not going before this, but what Yugi did clinched it," Kisara explained.

"I see. That just shows what true love is. And I believe our kids do have it. I know that when he gets up the courage, my Syrus will ask Annie to marry him." Darla explained, smiling.

"He's a lot braver, I think, than anyone realizes, Darla," Jayda said. "Jaden told me in an email how Sy pretty much yelled at Zane after that bad defeat last year. Sy made everyone including Jaden leave their dorm and Sy yelled at his brother to snap out of it and pick himself up and duel again. Jaden said it was tough to hear but, and I quote, 'sweet to see Sy show some guts.'"

"That's my boy!" Darla smiled happily.

Suddenly, the once noisy room had quieted. "Oh, I think the show's over with. Time sure flew past, didn't it?" asked Hiro, surprised.

In the room, "Man, that was deep," Jaden said. "The captain actually lied and got somebody killed?"

"Yeah...but the favorite line is..." Annie said grinning, looking at Bastion and Sy...

"'It's a FAAAAAAAAKE!'" the three said, laughing.

"Man, Dad would love messing with you guys. I can't remember how many time he called me a nerd as a joke," stated Violet, swallowing her last nacho.

Syrus blinked. "You? A nerd??"

Annie had the same puzzled expression on her face as her boyfriend. "You are so not a nerd! What is he on?"

"Violet, my love, you are not a nerd. I am the bloody nerd in this couple," Bastion commented.

"Exactly...he's the nerd," Chazz said, eyes wide. "Man..."

Violet sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Don't jump to conclusions. You guys have never seen me when I'm...alone. It's pretty hard having friends when your boyfriend cheats on you with your best friend. The only real friend I had after that was forced to move the next week to Canada." Violet shrugged. "I thought it'd be the same at Duel Academy...until I met Annie and you guys, of course." She gave a thumbs-up and her usual grin to emphasize the point.

"Violet...everybody has things they do when they're alone that they wouldn't do when anyone else is around," Annie pointed out. "There are things I do that I wouldn't want known to the general public..."

"Me, too," Jaden said. "See, there was this one time that I...umm..."

Violet blinked. "Yes?" Alexis was staring at Jaden thoughtfully.

Jaden blushed and grinned, "Well...I sort of lip sync to the Star Wars Gangsta rap when no one's in the dorm or at home..."

That did it; everyone couldn't help but crack up. "That's awesome, Jay! I can imagine that sooo easily!! Of course, I lip synch the songs on my iPod all the time," explained Violet.

Alexis smiled. "I'd love to see you do that sometime, Jay..."

"Okay..." Jaden said, a little red, "what do you do...Bastion?" Everyone looked expectantly at the young handsome genius. The parents listened outside the door.

"Er...I...well...do I honestly have to say it?"

Violet hopped into Bastion's lap and hugged him. "Come on, Bastion-baby! We won't laugh...unless it's really funny. But we'll be laughing with you!"

"All right...I watch Food Network and try making some of the recipes!"

Violet blinked. "That's it? Bastion-baby, that's nothing to be embarrassed about! That's, like, one of my favorite hobbies!!"

Syrus nodded. "Plenty of us have tried playing chef at one point or another."

"Oh..funny, that...one of the students at Einstein thought I was strange for that..." Bastion admitted. "My elementary school..."

"Okay...Atticus! What's your supposedly nerdy thing, bro?" Chazz asked. "Then you, sis!"

Atticus had to think really hard about this one. "Well, I guess watching 'I Love Lucy' reruns counts as a nerdy thing."

Alexis smirked. "I didn't know you still did that! Anyway, mine would probably be...speaking Latin. It's like a second language to me."

"That is so cool!" Annie said.

"Yes, Alexis, no wonder you do so well in science," Bastion said. "All right, Chazz, you 'fess up...what is your nerdy thing?"

Chazz looked around the room. "I...uh...memorized Star Wars: Episode IV and I can go right along with the movie..."

Alexis laughed a little. "How cool. So, who still hasn't gone?"

Violet masked "Syrus" between a fake sneeze, sweat-dropping when he glared at her.

"All right. But Zane has to go after me. The nerdy thing I do is..." He blushed, "…ask the god cards for help on tests." Syrus remembered all the times he'd asked Slifer and then Ra to help him pass.

"I...think that kind of runs in the family..." Zane admitted, to everyone's surprise. "Granted, I was an Obelisk, but...well...I've had my issues...Annie, you haven't gone..."

"I was hoping you'd forget...well, besides turning my heroes into Sailor Moon characters, I...have been trying to put some of their more dramatic moments on storyboard and make then into mini-movies," Annie admitted.

Violet grinned. "I guess we all have some nerd in us, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah, even Zane and Chazz," added Syrus, smiling.

"Chazz, we have so got to watch Star Wars," Annie said, then yawned. "Oh, excuse me..."

Violet yawned, and then Syrus. "Guess what they say about yawning is true," stated Syrus.

"That, or we're all tired," Alexis replied.

"I second the second option," stated Violet, smiling tiredly.

"You kids have had a rough couple of days," Kisara said, coming into the room. "Go home and get some rest, all of you...Annie, you'll have your tests fairly early tomorrow, so it's just as well you get to sleep..." And with that, the group started to go.

"Mom?"

"Yeah, Chazz?"

"Can I ride home with you?"

Violet stood up and stretched, walking with Bastion and Hiro out of the room. "Bye, Annie! Bye, Sy!! See ya tomorrow!" Syrus waved.

Meanwhile, Alexis grinned at Chazz's question. "Is that because Atty's driving, or because you want some time with Mom?"

"Both!" he whispered.

"Night, little bro. Night, Mom," Zane said, hugging them. "Night, Annie," he added, hugging her as well.

"Goodnight, bro. See you tomorrow," replied Syrus.

Alexis smiled. "All right. Come on, Atty. And remember, NO SPEEDING OR ELSE," she growled as they left.

As soon as Annie and Sy were settled in bed, Kisara left the hospital. "Night, guys, and night, Darla," she said.

Meanwhile, Scout got Chazz settled in her car and called to Atticus, "You're following me home, young man!"

Atticus sighed. "All right, mom!" The three got into their own car and followed Scout out onto the road.

Meanwhile, Violet practically belly-flopped into the passenger's seat. "Ready to go home, Bastion-baby?" she asked happily.

"Yes, Violet, but please allow me to drive more sedately...Please?"

Violet pouted. "All right...I can't say no to you!" She planted a kiss on his cheek, and both Misawa cars left the parking lot.

A few hours later at the Rhodes residence at two in the morning, Jaden Yuki slipped out of Alexis' bed. "Lex?" he whispered. "Wake up!"

Alexis mumbled something and turned onto her side, pulling the covers up farther. "Just five more minutes..."

"Lex, c'mon, wake up!" Jaden whispered again. "We need to go outside!"

Alexis frowned and opened her eyes, sending her fiancé a sleepy glare. "Jaden, if it's not an emergency then let me sleep."

"Lex, please..." He gave her puppy eyes.

She sighed and sat up, sliding out of bed with a yawn. "Jaden, I swear you'll regret this if it's something stupid," Alexis growled as they left the room. Jaden led her downstairs and out into the backyard. He helped her sit down on an old swing-set that she and Atticus had played on when they were small children. He swallowed. Alexis yawned again, eyes closed slightly. "Come on, Jaden. Let's get this over with so I can go back to bed..."

"Alexis...look up at the sky..." he said softly. The sky was shining with stars and Jaden hoped she'd like them. And he hoped she liked what was coming.

Alexis sighed and looked up, eyes widening a little at the sight. "Jaden, wow, that's amazing but I hope you didn't drag me out here in the middle of the night just to see some constellations."

"Actually...I wanted you to look up at those first because...well, they kind of look like diamonds, right?"

Alexis returned her gaze to Jaden, staring at him in confusion. "Yeah, and your point is?"

"Alexis Harper Rhodes, since the day we met...and since our first duel...I've known we were meant to be...and I wish Harrington Rosewood hadn't made us duel for being your fiancé...Otherwise...this wouldn't seem so anti-climatic..." He dropped to one knee in front of her.

Alexis was even more confused by the sudden formality, until he dropped to one knee. Her eyes widened. "Jaden...you don't mean you're actually going to..."

"Alexis, will you marry me?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes. "I...thought I'd let you pick out a ring you liked, so...I don't have one..."

Alexis' shock became happiness as she smiled, practically tackling Jaden to the ground with her hug. "Yes, Jaden, of course! I love you so much!!" Tears of happiness sprung to her eyes.

Jaden, too, had tears in his eyes. "I'm glad, Lex. I love you, too. I just didn't want to ask you when Atticus was around, you know?"

Alexis nodded. "I understand, Jaden. But you didn't have to do it in the middle of the night. We could have gone to the park or something alone. But...I guess this is pretty nice."

"Yeah...After the movie double feature, I tried to figure a way to ask you, but...it seemed like we always had people hanging around...and...I wanted it to be when the stars were out...they...make me think of your eyes. So...you want to go back to bed?"

Alexis blushed and nodded. "Hang on, Jaden. You stay here and I'll be right back." She stood and ran back into the house, quietly going to the linen closet in the laundry room.

Jaden stayed outside, waiting. 'She said yes! Oh, man, this is awesome!'

"Did it work?" asked Elemental Hero Sparkman.

"Yeah, it did, Sparkman...Was it that hard proposing to Sparkwoman?"

"Yeah, it was," Sparkman admitted.

Soon Alexis was back outside, walking over to lay a blanket by Jaden. "I figured that it's such a warm night, we don't really need to go back inside. Let's sleep out here and enjoy the stars some more."

"Out here, Lex? Really? Okay," Jaden said. "It is pretty nice out here." They lay down and cuddled close, covered up and in their pajamas. "Hey, Alexis?"

Alexis had her head rested in the crook of Jaden's neck comfortably. "Yeah, Jaden?"

"This is the best night in my life so far..."

Alexis smiled. "Same here...only the night we found my brother comes close to this," she mumbled through a yawn.

"Yeah..." Jaden yawned, drifting away. "Good night, Lex," he said as he fell asleep.

"Goodnight, Jaden..."she managed before sleep overcame her as well.

_And that, dear friends, is where we end for now. So Jaden chose to make his relationship with Alexis formal and in the middle of the night. We admit he might seem a little OOC, but we hope it seems like a natural enough progression. We also found out some things about our teen heroes that you might not have expected and that they all have an inner nerd. Next time, Bastion will pop the question and Jaden will tell his parents. But something else will happen as well, so you might need Kleenex for "Ojama Angel." Thank you and please read and review! See you next time!_


	33. Random Kind of Love

Chapter XXXIII: Random Kind of Love

_Hello again, folks! Due to length, we again had to split up a chapter. Therefore, _Ojama Angel _will be next chapter. So for now, we hope you enjoy a terribly romantic and fluffy short chapter. Also, we would like to thank queenofspades19 for her eagle eye on the spelling of picadillo which was incorrectly spelled peccadillo. "Picadillo" is a yummy shredded meat filling, whereas "peccadillo" means something that you did wrong. Sorry for the error, and if you see errors like that, anybody, mentioning it is always appreciated. And we wish Microsoft Word would update its spell check software to include Mexican dishes. So thanks to all of you who reviewed and to everyone who read!_

_Last time, Bastion talked to his dad about proposing to his love and we found out that the GX teens each have something nerdy that they don't want people knowing about. And Jaden…yes, Jaden…proposed to Alexis under the stars in her backyard. So what is next? Read and find out!_

_**Legal disclaimer: We say this every single chapter… We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We just own our OCs, non-established characters and this version of the Yugi-verse. **_

Before long, morning came. At the Misawa residence, Bastion was downstairs fixing up a breakfast tray. 'Must remember to put the tray on the bureau...Violet will get excited,' the young man thought.

Violet was still fast asleep, lying on her back with the covers over her lower half. Suddenly, she felt something hopping up and down on her stomach, accompanied by squeaking. Violet opened her eyes to see none other than her Watapon, letting out a groan. "Tiffles, come on, it's too early," she mumbled through a yawn. Violet turned onto her side, pulling the covers up over her head and sending the tiny duel spirit flying through the wall.

Bastion, meanwhile, placed a vase with a single rose in it on the tray. 'Now what?' he wondered.

"Bastion, honey, could you use a hand?" He turned to see his mom and dad, both in their pajamas and robes.

"Just putting on the final preparations, Mum and Dad. I'm frankly a bit apprehensive, you know."

Hiro smiled. "It's all right to be nervous, Bastion. This is a big step in a young man's life, and being anxious simply shows how much you love her."

Katai smiled at her husband. "Your father was just as nervous when he asked me. I didn't think he had it in him to be so sweet but...Hiro, I thought I had you figured out..."

"Mum, Dad didn't want to tell me...I hope this is enough," Bastion said worriedly. The box containing the necklace was on the tray, blue with a pink bow, and the boy worried it might not be enough.

"Oh, darn...Bastion, it'll be enough, sweetie..."

"If she loves you as much as you love her, then it won't matter. All that she'll care about is the proposal itself, son," explained Hiro reassuringly.

Bastion moved to hug his parents. 'She won't say no...' the teen thought. 'I couldn't live if she did...' "If this is all right...then...here I go..." he said, moving away from them and picking up the tray. He headed upstairs to Violet's room and knocked on the door. "Violet darling? Are you awake?"

Bastion didn't know it, but Tiffles the Watapon duel spirit had succeeded in waking his owner up. However, that didn't mean she had to get out of bed! To the alien's displeasure, Violet was sitting in bed and flipping through her deck when she heard Bastion. "Yup! Come on in!!" she called back cheerfully.

"Stay in bed; this is room service, love," he said, coming in. "I hope you like this..." He set the tray down first on the bureau drawer and then came to her with the box. "But first, open this..."

Violet grinned. "Aw, you made me breakfast in bed!" She then took the box he held out for her. "A present for me? Oh, you're so sweet, Bastion-baby!" Violet pulled off the ribbon and opened the box, her gasp barely able to describe her surprise and happiness. "Oh, Bastion..."

"I got this before we left Duel Academy...I...Violet..." Bastion stammered. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook, you are the most amazing young woman I have ever met and I love you; will you do me the honor of being my wife?" he asked, taking her hand and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Violet's eyes widened, mind registering that the necklace was, in fact, an engagement ring of sorts. A blush came onto her face as she stared deep into his eyes, finally able to form the right word. "...Yes..." she whispered happily. Then, her body regained its full movement, and in one swift motion he was on the ground with her arms around him. "Yes! I will, Bastion, I will!!" she cried happily.

Bastion would've spoken in joy, but unfortunately, Violet had knocked the wind out of him and he was in some pain, having landed on one of her shoes. "Ooh," he moaned as the air came back into his lungs.

Violet blinked, realizing the problem and rolling over so that Bastion was on top instead and they were away from her shoes. "Bastion, I'm so excited! I love you!!" she cheered, still hugging him.

"Oh, darling," he whispered.

They didn't hear the door open, and didn't move until... "Oh, maybe we should come back later," Katai said.

Violet's blush returned full-force, but she was unable to see the parents from her current position. "We heard the commotion and just wanted to see what her answer was, son. But, we should probably go..." Hiro said, flushing slightly.

"Oh, my goodness!" Bastion got up remarkably fast, and winced, putting a hand to his side. "Um...that wasn't what it looked like...but Violet did say yes! Mum, Dad...this is your future daughter-in-law..."

Katai, smiling, moved to help Violet up. "Sorry, sweetie, that looked like...well, never mind. I know Bastion and...oh, that sounded wrong!" Katai said, a blush coming to her cheeks.

Bastion groaned. "I think I bruised a rib on that landing...Violet, shall we eat?"

Violet giggled, planting a kiss on her fiancé's cheek. "Sure. But first..." She picked up the necklace and went to the mirror, putting it on. Watapon appeared on her shoulder and gave a squeak of approval. "Bastion-baby, you couldn't have given me a better engagement ring than this!"

Bastion winced as his father helped him onto the bed and examined the bruise to his side. "I'm so glad you like it...Violet, I wanted something as unique and beautiful as you are, darling, and everyone else gives diamonds."

Violet backed up until she had fallen onto the bed, her head landing squarely in Bastion's lap. "Aw, thanks, Bastion-baby. I never really like diamonds, anyway."

Hiro pulled down Bastion's shirt and smiled. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. You'll have a bruise and it may be sore for a few days, however."

"We'll leave you two alone, kids...Come on, Hiro," Katai said, gently guiding her love out of the room.

"Well...are you ready for some breakfast, then, my love?" Bastion asked, lazily brushing her bangs.

Violet grinned. "You bet! I'm starved!!" She sat up and turned so that she was sitting cross-legged beside him. "What exactly did you make, anyway?"

"Well, I got orange juice, bacon, hash browns, toast and eggs, darling..."

Violet pulled the tray over so it was sitting on both of their laps. "Let's see. Scrambled eggs!" She popped one bite into her mouth, then placed some more on her fork. "Open up! Your turn!! I can't possibly eat all of this yummy food myself..."

"I purposely made a lot," Bastion smiled, taking a bacon strip and placing it on his own plate, along with hash browns, some scrambled eggs and a piece of toast. "I wonder how Hassleberry will do today..."

Violet sighed and fell onto her back, hands locked behind her head comfortably. "Well, if I know that dino-boy, he'll do anything to be with Rosa." Suddenly, Violet sat back up, grinning broadly. "Oh my geez! Wait until we tell the others about this!! They're gonna freak!" she exclaimed, waving her arms about excitedly.

"Yes...oh, bloody...I just thought of something...you already have a maid of honor picked out, I suppose...but who'll be my best man?!"

Violet pouted thoughtfully, since there were more guys than girls in this group. "Well, just pick who you think would be the best for the job," she replied, munching on some bacon.

"Yes...not the one whose idea it was to have the infamous panty raid, though...Atticus isn't right..."

Violet blushed, swallowing what she'd been chewing. "Uh, Bastion...why exactly did you do that, anyway?" she asked curiously.

"I...well, darling...I wanted to know more about you...but...I didn't want you to think I was a bloody pervert..." He laughed a little at the recollection of the pink bazooka as well as a frazzled Chazz. "I...wasn't man enough to go in, myself, and Atticus had dared me, so I dared Chazz..."

Violet smiled. "Oh, Bastion, you only had to ask. A simple 'can I come over and hang out?' would have worked! Then, Chazzy wouldn't have had to go through my...'security system.'" She sweat-dropped, remembering when she'd gotten back and discovered that all of her well-placed booby traps had been triggered.

"Chazz came back rather looking like a scared cat who'd been bathed in feathers, but he brought something back. Anyway...I was too nervous to ask at the time...You're so beautiful and...I didn't think you'd pay attention to me... I was just your nerdy friend."

"Yeah...I don't like people snooping through my stuff. I'd heard that there had been a few raids of the girls' rooms. And it's funny. I thought you wouldn't pay attention to me! You were always so busy with schoolwork," she explained, pouting.

"I got busy. Old habits die hard, darling. I'd be working all the time; then people would ask me to things and I'd say I was busy and eventually, they'd stop asking...kind of silly, huh?" Bastion said this with a little humor, but some slight hurt in his eyes.

Violet sighed and ruffled Bastion's hair so that it stuck out every which way. "I said I'd make you a rebel, and I will. You've got to loosen up and relax! No more all work and no play!! That's an order from your new fiancée."

"I'll take your orders gladly, darling..." And so they enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.

_And so, Bastion is officially attached. Next time…you may need Kleenex, everyone. Chazz fans, we're sorry for what's about to happen. So read, review and stay tuned for _Ojama Angel.


	34. Ojama Angel

Chapter XXXIV: Ojama Angel

_Everyone, thank you for your patience in waiting for what was originally a single chapter split into two chapters. Thank you, faithful reviewers and newcomer reviewers. If you haven't reviewed before, feel free! We both read the reviews, as Peach forwards to 15animefreak15. If you're looking for more humorous reading, we recommend our latest humor fic, "The Genius and the Panty Raid." We hope it makes you chuckle._

_Recap: Last time, Bastion popped the question and Violet accepted._

_**Disclaimer: We own nothing but this version of the Yugi-verse, our OCs and our story. **_

_**Warning: This chapter does contain child abuse. Chazz fans, we love him too. We are sorry for what is about to happen.**_

Meanwhile, back at the Rhodes residence. "Alexis...Jaden...wake up, you two..."

Alexis stirred, snuggling more into Jaden's chest. "Just five more minutes, Mom," she mumbled through a yawn.

"Alexis, honey...what are you two doing outside?" Scout Rhodes asked, kneeling down.

Jaden mumbled, still pretty much asleep, "That's game, dueling marshmallow...now you're a snack!" And he brushed his lips against Alexis's forehead.

Alexis sighed contentedly and leaned into his embrace, both seemingly ignoring her mother's questioning. Then, Atticus walked over in a pair of pants and no shirt. "Hey, Mom. What are they doing out here?"

Chazz, too, made his way outside. "Mom, bro...if Jaden's out here...it's normal..."

"Seriously, honey?" Scout asked.

"Seriously...and there's one way to wake him up...sorry, sis...SLACKER! THE FRIED SHRIMP IS ALMOST GONE!"

Abruptly, Jaden sat up. "WHAT?!"

Alexis' head just as abruptly smacked the ground, sending her shooting up almost as fast as Jaden. "ATTACK MODE!! The answer's attack mode, Dr. Crowler!" she yelled, eyes wide. Atticus couldn't help but laugh quietly.

"Huh? Oh, wait! We're not at school! Chazz!" Jaden growled, and then noticed his fiancee on the ground. "Lexi, are you okay?"

Alexis blinked, glancing around. "What? But I...Chazz! What was that for??" she yelled, frowning.

"I just did what I usually do to wake Jaden up. Sorry, sis, but what in the heck are you guys doing out here?"

"My question, exactly," Scout said, puzzled.

Jaden looked at Alexis and took her hand. "You want me to tell, or do you want to?"

Alexis blushed a little. "Well...last night Jaden brought me out here, and...asked me to marry him. I know he was supposedly my fiance already, but...he wanted to do it the right way. And...I said yes."

Scout looked at the kids for a moment, and then..."Oh my goodness! This is wonderful! JACK!" the mother yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Guess we will be brothers, Jaden...cool..." Chazz said.

Jack came running outside, stopping by everyone. "What is it, dear? What's wrong??" he asked worriedly.

"Um...Jack...I asked your daughter to marry me last night, and she accepted," Jaden said, shaking his head a little because Scout had yelled loudly and close to his ear.

Jack blinked for a moment, then smiled and pulled Jaden into a tight hug. "Welcome to the family, Jaden!"

Alexis laughed. "Don't break his back, Dad..."

Jaden grinned. "Lex, don't worry...he won't...Remember who hurt Kagemoru with the bear hug?" he asked sheepishly. "And my head's so hard, they could use it as a cannonball!"

"Figures..." Chazz said. "What do you think, big bro?" he asked, looking at Atticus.

Jack released Jaden as Atticus spoke. "I think it's great, Lexi! I was wondering when he'd pop the question!!"

"I thought last night worked...though Alexis almost didn't want to wake up," Jaden grinned. "Oh, man, I've got to call Mom and Dad! Chazz, I can ask Dad about you!"

Chazz abruptly remembered. "Oh, yeah!"

"Sounds great. Why don't we go get some breakfast, and then Jaden can call his parents," Jack offered.

Alexis nodded. "Sounds great, Dad."

"Um...guys? I know a place that's great, if you're okay with going out...My treat," Chazz said, blushing.

Atticus grinned. "Sweet! Jaden, you can call your folks while we get dressed."

Jack nodded. "All right then, thanks, son. That's kind of you."

"Well, Dad, it's the least I can do..." Chazz said. And so, while everyone got cleaned up and dressed, Jaden dialed his home number.

"Hello? Yuki residence, Hisoka Yuki speaking," greeted Hisoka after he answered the phone. He held it securely on his shoulder as he stood in front of the mirror, fixing his tie.

"Hi, Dad!" Jaden said. "How are you and Mom?"

"Oh, Jaden! We're doing just fine. How are you?" Hisoka smiled.

"Good...in fact...better than good...Dad, I asked Alexis to marry me and SHE SAID YES!"

Hisoka was so surprised that he dropped the phone, and scrambled to pick it up. "Son, that's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!! Your mother has to hear this. Jayda! Come quickly!!" he called.

"Honey, what is it?" Jayda asked, coming to the phone.

"Here, Jaden. You should tell her." Hisoka stated quickly, handing the phone to his wife. "Brace yourself, honey."

"Oh...Hi, Jay...what's going on? Is everything all right?" Jayda was thinking something bad, but was about to find quite the opposite.

"Hi, Mom!" Jaden greeted happily. "I'm getting married!"

"What? Now?! Jay-jay?"

"Not now, Mom...but I asked Alexis if she'd marry me and SHE SAID YES!!"

"I told you to brace yourself, honey. Isn't it wonderful? Our Jay-jay's going to get married!" Hisoka grinned.

Jayda grinned. "Sweetie, oh my...well, we'll just have to celebrate when you and Alexis come over here..."

"Oh, Mom...I need to talk to Dad again, okay?"

"Okay, pumpkin..."

Hisoka took the phone back. "Congratulations again, son. Now, what is it you need to talk to me about?"

"It's about Chazz...anything happening yet? Just so we're ready if...well, if something happens..." Jaden did worry that Slade and Jagger might try something.

Hisoka sighed. "Well, Jaden, Kaiba Corp. doesn't want to give up the video footage. I've been searching for possible loopholes but have come up rather empty-handed with their legal department. If only there was a way to get to Chairman Kaiba himself..."

"Wait a minute, Dad! I've got it! Annie's doctor is Seto Kaiba's wife! Maybe she can help!"

Hisoka was once again shocked, but this time managed to keep hold of the phone. "Really? That's great, Jaden! If I could possibly talk with Seto Kaiba, I may be able to convince him to lend us those tapes."

"Yeah, Dad! I met Seto the other day and Mom works with Kisara. They're so nice, Dad; I know they'll help and Kisara already said that she was going to do something to Chazz's ex-brothers...something involving the political parties or something. I don't know, but it sounded pretty sweet!"

Hisoka grinned, thinking he knew what Kisara was planning. "All right, son. You see if they'll help out when you go to visit Annie today. I have to go now, or I'll be late for work! Bye, and tell Alexis congrats for me!!"

"I will, Dad! Bye! Oh, man, Lex, Mom and Dad are thrilled!"

Alexis smiled. "That's great, Jaden. Now maybe you should get dressed." He was still in his pajamas, while she had changed into a white spring dress and light blue jean capris.

"Wow...you look great...babe," he said. "I'll be right back..." Jaden tore upstairs, hopped in the shower, scrubbed off, ran down the hall, got on khaki dress shorts and a clean white polo top and some clean sneakers, and then headed back downstairs. "Hey, Chazz is this okay?" he asked.

Chazz was also dressed in nice shorts and a shirt. "Yeah, bro, you look fine...shall we go, everyone?"

"Of course!" replied Atticus. He was wearing black shorts and a dark blue polo shirt, while his father dressed in his business attire.

"I have to go to work afterwards, so I won't have time to come back home and change," Jack explained. So, they went outside and split-up to take two cars.

Scout took the now-formally engaged couple in her car while Jack took his boys in his car. "So you decided to propose outside, Jaden and in the middle of the night?" Scout asked, watching her husband in front of her, as Chazz was giving directions on how to get to the restaurant.

"Yeah, Scout...I don't think Lexi was thrilled with getting up at one in the morning, but I wanted her to see the stars since I couldn't buy a diamond for her, right babe?"

Alexis laughed softly. "Yeah. I'm glad you did that now that I'm wide awake, Jay," she replied, kissing him full on the lips.

Jaden blushed. Meanwhile, in the other car..."The restaurant is called The Flaming Mushroom," Chazz said. "It's one of the best places in town, Dad. You can get just about anything you want for breakfast there. I used to go there a lot when...um..." he stopped, looking sad.

"We understand, Chazz. You don't have to say anymore. Besides, I think we're here," replied Jack. They pulled into the parking lot of a pretty fancy-looking restaurant.

"Whoa..." whispered Atticus, mouth agape.

"Holy..." Jaden said, eyes bugging as the group exited the cars. "Chazz...wow! Are you sure we're dressed okay?"

"Yes, I'm sure...Jaden, relax...this place is great...come on..." He moved and held the door open for everyone and they walked in.

"Chazz, sweetie..." Scout began.

"No big, Mom...it's the least I can do..."

"Well, all right, son," Jack said gently, deciding to accept his newest child's gift without protest. They were seated at a table in the corner, between the window and a wall.

"What are you going to get, Jay?" Alexis asked, picking up the menu.

"I know I'm getting waffles," stated Atticus, grinning.

Jaden looked at the menu in shock. "Whoa...I'm getting the shrimp omelet! Chazz, what about you?"

Chazz looked at the menu thoughtfully. "I think I'll get the muffin pancake special..." The special he referred to had pancakes flavored like chocolate chip, blueberry and apple-cinnamon muffins. "Mom? Dad? Sis? What about you?"

Scout smiled. "I think I'll get their fruit and French toast special..."

Alexis sighed. "Of course you'd get that, Jaden. I think I'll go with the three-cheese omelet myself." Jack set down his menu. "I believe I'll have the same thing as your mother."

"All right," Chazz said, folding his menu. The waiter came over and took their orders and soon the family was eating contentedly. And remarkably, Jaden displayed excellent table manners. "You're not vacuuming your food as usual?" Chazz asked.

"What, am I supposed to?" the brunette boy asked in puzzlement.

"No..."

Alexis laughed. "Looks like Jaden can behave when he has to. That's good to know." Atticus was eating as well as Jaden. Finally, the new family had finished their meal and Scout enjoyed a cup of tea, Jack had a cup of coffee and the kids all had hot chocolate.

And as Chazz was totally relaxed with the Rhodes and Jaden there... "Well, if it isn't our pathetic little loser..." He felt a familiar hand clamp on his shoulder and turned to see Jagger, flanked by Slade.

"What are you two doing here?" Chazz grated.

"My, is your memory really all that bad, Chazz? We always came here for breakfast. That is until you disgraced yourself and tarnished the Princeton name," Slade explained, frowning and sending a malicious glare at Chazz.

"Hey! Leave him alone!!" interrupted Alexis, sending Slade's glare right back at him.

"We can talk to him if we want, missy. Besides, you're part of the reason he's pathetic...we at least can keep girlfriends," Jagger taunted.

"Those you pay for, you mean," Chazz countered softly.

"Outside, now...and let me remind you, we still have custody of you, twerp," Jagger grinned nastily.

"Let him go!" Jaden said, standing up.

"It's okay, Jaden...just stay there..." Chazz said.

Scout stood up. "Chazz!"

"It's okay, Mom...Just stay there..." Chazz met her eyes, and looked at all of them, urging them to stay put. He knew from experience that his ex-brothers could get very ugly and no way would he let them hurt his new family.

"Let him go, guys." To everyone's surprise, Atticus had spoken.

Jack nodded. "Son, if we hear any trouble, I'm coming out there." Alexis sighed and sat down, pulling Jaden down beside her. Slade sneered at the family for a moment before the three left the restaurant.

Jagger and Slade marched Chazz into the alley and Chazz knew the look in their eyes. "Did I hear you call that woman Mom? You don't have a mom...you killed ours," Jagger sneered, slapping the teen hard across the face. But Chazz wouldn't cry out.

Slade was more mature and less violent than his brother, usually sticking to verbal abuse. "But we treated you like our brother anyway. We gave you everything. All we asked for in return was that you win a few simple duels. You couldn't even beat that slacking loser that you call a friend!"

"No...you made me...you made me do that...and what did you do when you didn't get what you wanted? You dumped me! And I didn't kill Mom..."

"You don't talk back to us, you pathetic little snot," Jagger growled, hitting him again.

Chazz's gray eyes burned with anger. "You must feel like really big men..." he taunted.

Slade's eyes narrowed. "Of course we feel that way. Unlike you, we ARE men. Unless you've forgotten, brother, we're two of the most powerful people in the world," he growled venomously.

"No...you're cowards and you're bullies. Oh, I'm Slade; I want to be President of the United States, but I have to hide that I hate the public!" Chazz taunted.

Slade's anger was reaching its peak, and he was starting to think about joining Jagger in the physical form of abuse. "Why you little...of all the disrespectful..." Suddenly, he calmed and smiled. "What am I getting angry for? We still have custody of you, and you don't have a tenth of the power just one of us has. What could you possibly do?" he laughed evilly.

"I could spill the beans to everybody...and I know who to spill them to...and you think your opponents won't use the info I give them, Slade? I can make it so your career is wrecked...And I have a feeling Duel Academy has the tape of what you did to me after I lost to Jaden," Chazz threatened.

Slade's look now turned murderous. "You...you tell anyone anything, and you'll regret it. You don't want to test our patience, Chazz; right, Jagger?"

"Right," Jagger growled. "Don't you dare..." "I'm not afraid of you jerks any more...I am telling...and I'm taking you down..."

Chazz had a slight smirk on his face, but he knew he wouldn't be walking out of this alley under his own power. Back in the restaurant... "Where did they go? We can't hear a thing..." Jaden said, eyes widening with fear.

"Oh really? Well, Jagger, how about you give him a taste of what will happen if he does such a foolish thing??" replied Slade, smirking.

In the restaraunt, Alexis was getting worried. "I don't know, Jaden. I hope they're not..." She bit her bottom lip.

"If they happen to do anything, it'll just be more evidence against them. I don't think they'd risk it, sweetie," replied Jack, though he was also worried. Jaden's natural impulse was to go out and see what was going on, but he grabbed onto his fiancee's hand.

Meanwhile, back in the alley, Jagger flipped Chazz around and held the boy fast. "Just like old times, huh, Slade?"

"Yeah, where you guys got hammered and used me for...!" Chazz couldn't talk as all of the wind rushed from his lungs as Slade's fist hit.

Slade bared his teeth angrily. "You'd better watch what you say, Chazz. Or we'll just have to break you again, now won't we?"

Chazz couldn't talk but he looked defiantly at his oldest brother. When he could talk again, which was quickly, he said, "Go ahead...you can do what you want...you can't break me anymore..."

"Oh, can't we?" Jagger asked snidely, shoving Chazz hard into the brick of a building, stunning him. Chazz fell to the ground, and felt a wingtip shoe connect with his side. They beat him badly over the next 5 minutes, causing a lot of damage.

Finally, Slade lifted Chazz up by the front of his now bloody shirt so that they were face-to-face. "Let this be a warning, little brother. Mess with us, and you'll regret it..." he growled before tossing him into a nearby group of trash cans. "Let's go, Jagger. We have more important business to take care of than some worthless trash," he continued, heading for their parked limousine.

Chazz tried to get up but was in bad enough shape that he couldn't. The Ojama brothers appeared beside him. "Boss? Can we do somethin'?" Ojama Yellow asked, sounding scared.

"Get Jaden...he'll get Mom and Dad..." Chazz groaned. The Ojamas moved quickly.

"Jaden!" shouted Ojama Yellow as he and Ojamas Black and Green flew into the restaurant.

"Ojamas?" Jaden asked, eyes wide. "What..? Is Chazz..?"

"They...they hurt him!"

"No..."

Alexis noticed Jaden's expression. "Jaden? What's wrong??"

"Chazz is hurt...I should've gone out there...Scout...we have to..."

"I'm coming, sweetie...Jack, you stay here...Atticus stay with your father...Alexis, go to the car and get my medical kit!"

Alexis nodded. The three quickly left the restaurant, Alexis heading to the car while Jaden and Scout went into the alley nearby. Inside, Jack rubbed his eyes wearily. "Maybe I shouldn't have let them take him..."

Atticus placed a hand on his father's arm. "Dad, it's okay. Don't blame yourself for what those slime-balls did..."

"Boss!" the three Ojamas called, moving toward the trash cans.

"Chazz?" Jaden yelped.

Chazz heard his friend and tried to get up. "Over here," he groaned softly.

Scout, following Jaden called out, "Don't move him, Jaden!"

"Urgh..." Chazz groaned softly.

"What'd they do?" Jaden asked. Chazz was sporting a bloody nose and bruises were already coming.

By then Alexis had made her way to the front of the alley, medical bag in hand. "Mom, Jaden, is Chazz okay?" she called worriedly.

"Bring me the kit, honey and go tell your father to pay our bill...Chazz, we need to get you to the ER..." Scout said. "Jaden, help me...get out a pair of those rubber gloves and some gauze."

"Okay, Scout," Jaden said, face pale.

Alexis handed her mother the medical bag, taking one last look at Chazz before going back into the restaurant. "Dad, pay the bill. They hurt Chazz...badly, he needs to go to the ER." Jack's eyes widened and he quickly did so, the three going back outside.

Scout quickly examined Chazz to determine if he'd suffered any neck or back injuries and decided it was safe to put him in a sitting position. "Hang in there, sweetie...why didn't you let one of us come out with you?" she asked as she held the gauze to his nose. "Lean your head forward..."

"Didn't want you guys getting hurt..."

"Chazz, maybe," Jaden began.

"Oh..." Chazz groaned.

Soon, the remaining Rhodes family ran into the alley. "Mom! Is he gonna be okay?" Alexis asked.

"Jack, get the car! We need to get Chazz to emergency..."

"Mom...this isn't that..." Chazz began, trying to shrug it off, but then he couldn't stand.

"Chazz...bro?" Jaden asked.

"I think...the ground is moving..."

"All right. I'll pull the car around. Come on, Atticus. You can grab the other car." The two ran back out of the alley, leaving the three alone with the wounded.

"Okay," Scout said, "I can carry you, Chazz. Hold onto my neck, sweetie." She picked him up, carrying him like a small child.

"Jaden?"

"Yeah, Chazz?"

"Thanks for sticking up for me..."

"You don't need to thank us, bro. Your my brother and will soon be Jaden's, too. Family looks out for each other," explained Alexis. They got to the cars and Chazz was placed in the backseat of Scout's, she herself getting in as well to watch him. Jaden and Alexis got into Jack's car, and the two vehicles drove off for the hospital.

Jaden held Alexis's hand all the way to Domino Children's and was surprisingly quiet. Meanwhile in Scout's car, Atticus drove while the mother took care of her future son. "Hang in there, sweetheart..."

"They...heard me call you Mom..." Chazz said weakly.

"I'm going to be your mother, angel; they're not going to hurt you again..."

"Don't worry, Chazz. They'll get what's coming to them soon," Atticus added thoughtfully. Jack parked while Atticus drove around to the ER entrance.

As it happened, Jayda was at the entrance to the ER. "Oh, my gosh! We need a crash cart over here, stat! Scout, what happened?"

"His ex-brothers happened, Jayda," Scout said with angry tears in her eyes.

"We'll all be in the waiting room, Mom!" called Atticus as he drove off. He found a parking spot, then joined the others as they entered the hospital through the main entrance.

They all decided to go straight to Annie's room and entered to find that only Annie, Syrus, and Kisara were there. Both Rhodes men had dark looks on their faces, and Alexis had tears in her eyes.

"Oh, my goodness...Guys, what happened?" Kisara asked, noticing the blood on Jaden's shirt.

"Yeah...what's going on?" Annie added.

"We were eating out for breakfast and ran into Slade and Jagger. They took Chazz outside and…" Jack's eyes hardened.

"He's in the ER right now with mom and Jayda..."finished Atticus, frowning.

Syrus's eyes were wide. "W-What? But...why would they do that??"

Kisara's blue eyes took on a dangerous quality. "They're power-hungry monsters, Syrus, but it ends here. First, I'm calling Seto and telling him to get those tapes, Jaden. And then I am calling the Republican and Democratic Party chairs and I am telling them about that...thing... And Seto will pull some strings and Jagger will find his butt is ours..."

Alexis smiled. "Thanks, Kisara. And I thought today was going to be so great..."

Syrus blinked. "What do you mean, Alexis?"

Atticus smiled. "Jaden proposed and Lexi said yes! They're officially engaged now. He just has to get a ring."

"Oh my gosh!" Annie squealed happily. "Congratulations, you guys! But...yeah...poor Chazz...Daddy's heard things and we all saw those duels..."

Meanwhile, in the ER, Jayda Yuki called another doctor to patch up Chazz. "We need pictures of this. This looks like an abuse case..."

"Doctor?"

"My friend says this boy's ex-brothers were responsible..."

"Dr. Yuki?" Chazz groaned.

"What is it, honey?"

"Is Kisara here?"

"She is...and I'm going to have her talk to Hisoka..."

Jayda called an orderly and had her run to get Kisara. "Dr. Kaiba?"

"Oh, hello, Janie..."

"Dr. Yuki wondered if you could call her husband..."

"I will, but I have to call mine first...Tell her I'll get right on it!" The orderly nodded. Kisara went and made her call to Kaiba Corp and then made her call to Hisoka's law firm.

Hisoka picked up the phone. "Hello, Yuki Law, Hisoka Yuki here..."

"Hello, Mr. Yuki, this is Kisara Kaiba and I need you to come to Domino Children's...It's urgent."

Hisoka's eyes widened. "I'm on my way, but is Jaden hurt? I just spoke with him this morning," he replied as he quickly packed up his brief case.

"Jaden's a little upset...his friend Chazz had a run-in with his brothers...a bad one..."

"What? Oh my...I'll be there as soon as possible. Goodbye, Mrs. Kaiba." Hisako hung-up the phone and quickly left his office, driving as quickly as he could towards the hospital without speeding.

_And so we leave you with Chazz in danger and his brothers about to get what's coming to them. Next time, the group finds out and there will be some shockwaves. So, read, review and stay tuned for Chapter 35, "Another Patient." Thank you, everyone, for your continued support of two authors who love collaborating and talking to you!_


	35. Another Patient

Chapter XXXV: Another Patient

_Welcome back, everyone, to the _Summer Love, Summer Fears _saga. If you're a newcomer to this tale, we thank you for getting into what is a long tale. The kids haven't gone their separate ways yet and two of their number are in the hospital. This can't be good. But Peach and 15animefreak15 warned you when this tale began that it would be darker than its predecessor. So if you're looking for completely happy, this isn't that tale. Thank you for your quick reviews, everyone! The quicker you review, the quicker we put up a new chapter!_

_Anyway, to recap, to celebrate his new sister's engagement to his friend, Chazz took Jaden and the rest of his new family out to breakfast. All was well until Slade and Jagger Princeton showed up and decided to beat the living daylights out of Chazz. He had to go to the ER. What happens next? You'll just have to see!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX, just our OCs, non-established characters and this version of the Yugi-verse.**_

Jayda finally moved away from Chazz in the ER. He was sleeping under the influence of a sedative and was heavily bandaged. Jayda had had her fellow doctor call in the hospital photographer get some pictures taken of the boy's injuries and took careful notes herself. 'Those monsters...' she thought angrily. And then she heard footsteps she'd known for nearly 20 years.

Hisoka appeared in the doorway, having obviously been in a hurry. "Jayda… Sugar Jay, what happened exactly? Kisara didn't say much..."

"Come in and look, honey. Scout told me...Chazz took them to The Flaming Mushroom for breakfast and just as they were finishing, those monsters came and...oh, Hisoka, how could those boys do that to him? He's going to have to be here overnight..." Jayda's eyes teared up.

Hisoka sighed and pulled his wife into a comforting embrace, stroking her hair gently. "I know, Sugar Jay, I know. Don't worry; they'll pay for the crimes they've committed. We'll all make sure of that," he soothed quietly.

"I hope so...He'll be okay here for now. Dr. Keirev!" She motioned to another doctor, a young man with close-cropped brown hair and kind hazel eyes. "Keep an eye on him."

He nodded and moved in the cubicle. "Let's go check on Jaden..." Jayda said. The couple moved upstairs fast.

Jaden was sitting in a chair, Alexis holding his hand. "Jay-jay?" Jayda called.

"Mom? Dad?" Jaden asked, the blank expression going from his face. He let go of his fiancée's hand and ran to his parents, needing their comfort.

Kisara came up to Hisoka. "You must be Hisoka. I'm Kisara. My husband's bringing the DVDs of those matches you wanted. Slade and Jagger are going down...I promise you..."

Hisoka held his only son close, turning slightly to face Kisara. "Thank you. Those tapes are the first step to making them pay for evil things they've done."

Syrus suddenly blinked in realization. "Hey, what about the others? They don't know yet..."

Annie looked at Sy. "I can call everybody." And then she looked at the clock. "Oh, my...it's ten AM...and it's noon in Hassleberry's part of Texas...he's dueling for Rosa's hand!"

Jaden looked up from his father's shirt. "I...almost forgot...you call everybody, Annie, okay?"

Annie nodded and Alexis handed her her cell phone. Annie scrolled through Alexis's contacts and dialed the Misawa residence first.

Hiro had just left the house for work, and Katai was in the shower. So, Violet answered the phone in an even cheerier mood than usual. "Hello, Misawa residence! Soon-to-be Violet Misawa speaking!!" sang Violet happily, grinning.

"Violet? It's Annie...what did you say?" Annie went from worried to shocked in a few seconds.

"Annie! You heard me, 'the soon-to-be Violet Misawa'!! Bastion-baby proposed this morning and I said yes!" she repeated excitedly. Violet glanced at the necklace as she spoke, which shimmered in the morning sunlight streaming in from her window.

"I was right..." Annie said, stunned. "That's wonderful, Violet...man, I hate being the bearer of bad news..."

Violet blinked, smile turning into a frown. "Bad news? What bad news??"

"Chazz is here in the hospital, Violet. His...former brothers beat the living daylights out of him..."

Violet gasped, surprised at the sudden turn of events. She had to sit down on her bed for more than one reason, as the memory rushed back like a fresh blow at the word "beat". Violet's mouth was left hanging open, eyes wide as she held the phone limply in her hand.

Bastion, fresh from the shower himself and in his fresh clothes came into Violet's room. "Violet, I...Darling? What's wrong?"

From the phone... "Violet? Violet, are you there?"

"Annie?" Bastion asked. "What's going on? Violet looks shocked."

"Bastion...Chazz is here. Scout brought him in; his ex-brothers hurt him really bad..."

"Oh, my..."

Violet blinked, coming back to reality at the sound of Bastion's voice. She closed her mouth, though her eyes were still wide. "B-Bastion...I..." she stuttered, before bursting into tears. 'Why did it come back? Why did the memory come back?! I thought I was done with this! I should be crying over Chazz, but...' she thought, scolding herself.

"What happened?" Bastion asked, placing an arm around his fiancée.

"He, Scout, Jack, Atticus, Alexis and Jaden were at The Flaming Mushroom and having breakfast to celebrate Jaden and Alexis getting officially engaged and Slade and Jagger were there. They took him out of the restaurant and...well it was bad...Is Violet okay?"

"She's rather upset, actually..."

'If only he knew I wasn't crying over Chazz...or maybe I am. I don't know anymore...' she thought, leaning into him. Her sobbing had quieted, though she was still unable to talk without likely getting anything but a confused look.

"As soon as Mum's out of the shower and dressed, we'll be over. Hang on; did you say Jaden and Alexis are officially engaged?"

"Yeah! Bastion...take care of Violet. If she's acting funny...it's happened before, and I don't know why. Help her, Bastion. Please?" Annie asked, pleadingly.

"All right...Bye, Annie..."

"Bye, Bastion!" And the two hung up.

Violet sniffed, eyes red from crying as she tried to form the right words. "B-Bastion, I wasn't...I-I'm not sure...i-if I was...c-crying for Chazz, or..." Here she stopped, fearing she would break into sobs again if she said it.

Bastion, having hung up the phone, held her close. "Darling...was it Mike again?" He asked it gently, with no sign of anger in his voice. At this point, he knew anger would do his love no good and he needed to be calm for the both of them.

Violet tensed at the name, but quickly relaxed because she was with Bastion. "Yeah...I just...the memory it...it came back when she said...that word." She closed her eyes tightly and clung to Bastion's shirt. "Oh, Bastion, why can't he just leave me alone??" she asked, close to breaking out in fresh tears.

"Oh, darling..." Bastion whispered, hugging her tightly. "I'll be right here...it'll take time for the memories to not harm you...We'll face it together, you and I...We need to get to the hospital, love, okay? Can you manage seeing Chazz?"

Violet took a few deep breaths, then nodded. "I just have to fix my hair...I'll see you downstairs," she replied a little shakily. Violet stood and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, grabbing a headband off of the nightstand.

Bastion hoped his mother was out of the shower because he didn't want to leave Violet alone when she was so upset. Bastion headed toward his parents' bedroom quickly. "Mum?" he called, knocking on the door.

Katai, fortunately, had just gotten her clothes on. "Bastion? What is it, honey? You can come in..."

Bastion did. "Oh, thank heaven...Mum, we need a ride to the hospital. Our friend Chazz is there..."

"Oh, my, honey, what happened?" He filled her in quickly and she finished getting herself ready as he told her. "So his brothers were abusive?"

"Yeah, Mum, and today...they came back. And when Annie told Violet, Violet got...upset..." His expression turned grim and worried.

"Sounds like a trigger word thing...Well, honey, I'm ready if you're ready...Go get Violet," Katai said gently.

Bastion nodded and ran downstairs. "Violet? Mum's ready..."

Violet had put her hair in its usual ponytail, looking completely normal except for the slight redness around her eyes and had headed downstairs. "Okay, I'm ready. Bastion, I...I'm sorry you have to deal with this," she muttered as they walked.

Bastion took her hand and stopped. "Violet...my love...I am honored to see you through this. I love you and that means all of you, everything...and I am helping you heal. Don't you be sorry for what that monster did to you..."

Violet's eyes widened a little in surprise, then she smiled. "Bastion...thank you. I'm glad that we're going to get married someday." They met up with Katai by the front door.

"So am I...Mum, let's go..."

"All right, honey...get in, both of you." Bastion helped Violet into the car and his mother got into the driver's seat.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Seto Kaiba stormed in, looking much as he had looked as a teenager. He headed upstairs to Annie's room. "Hey, babe...hey, guys..."

"Hi, honey," Kisara said. "Oh, I don't believe you've met Hisoka...Hisoka Yuki, Seto Kaiba. Seto, this is Hisoka, Jaden's dad and Jayda's husband."

"Pleasure to meet you...your son's a good kid...I just wish the circumstances were different..."

Hisoka nodded. "Same to you, Mr. Kaiba. I'm sorry to cut the formalities and straight to the important things, but do you have the DVDs?"

"I do, and those...things...will be sorry when we're through...I've been checking and I can engineer a hostile take-over of Princeton Corp and then dismantle it," Seto growled softly. Because of scum like Slade and Jagger, the remainder of Seto's late childhood had been destroyed, and he would not allow another child to be subject to such tyranny.

"That's good to know. I'll be working on the case that will enable the Rhodes to gain full custody of Chazz. I believe the sooner we get to work on things, the better. So, the DVDs, if you don't mind, please."

Seto handed them over. And then he sat down next to the Rhodes family. "You must be Jack," he said, offering his hand to shake. "I'm Seto."

"It's nice to meet you, Seto. Thank you for helping us with this. We appreciate it," replied Jack, shaking his hand.

Meanwhile, Hisoka went to his son and wife. "Jayda, Jaden, I have to go back to work so that I can get started on this case. Will you be okay without me?"

"We'll be okay, Hisoka and I'll keep you posted. Thanks, honey."

"Dad...please get Chazz free," Jaden said, worried eyes meeting his father's.

Hisoka nodded. "Don't worry, son. Your father's been in this business long enough to know a few tricks. I'll find a way...goodbye, everyone!" Hisoka waved then left the room just as Katai found a parking spot outside.

Annie had also managed to call Zane, who walked into the parking lot at the same time the Misawas and Violet arrived. "Hey, guys. Hi, Mrs. Misawa," Zane greeted.

"Hello, Zane, call me Katai, all right?"

He nodded. "Bastion, Violet, what in the heck happened? Annie said Chazz was hurt!"

Violet swallowed. "It...was his brothers, Zane. They found him and b-I mean, hurt him...badly..." She sighed, just barley catching herself on that word. 'You do not need to start crying again! Not now, when everyone needs you to be strong,' she thought to herself.

Bastion, seemingly sensing her thoughts, put his arm around her. "Darling, I'll be strong for both of us...cry if you need to..."

Zane fell into step with the Misawa party. "Those jerks...I wish I could sic the Cyber End Dragon on them...that'd settle their hash nicely..."

"Yeah...Water Dragon would be rather entertaining to use on them as well..."

"Honestly, you two..." Katai said.

Violet nodded, staring at the ground as they walked. Of course, she couldn't help but laugh a little when they talked about siccing their Duel Monsters on the pair. "Oh yeah? Well, we'll see how they handle King Watapon," she added, smiling.

"Yeah...pity we probably can't do that..." Bastion said. The four quickly raced upstairs to Annie's room.

"Hey, guys," Annie greeted. "Violet, congratulations!"

Violet blushed, pointed at the necklace. "Thanks, Annie. Look what Bastion-baby gave me as an engagement ring."

Syrus smiled. "It fits you, Violet."

"That makes four of us engaged. Jaden proposed to me last night," stated Alexis happily.

"Whoa..." Jaden said. "Congrats, Bastion...guess I'm not the only soon-to-be married guy...Sweet...I just wish Chazz was okay..."

"Darla?" Annie asked. "Do you think Chazz could be in here with me and Sy?" She asked Darla because Kisara had oddly excused herself to make a couple of phone calls as her husband stayed in the room.

Darla nodded. "I'm sure that would be all right. I'll go and try to find Kisara, to see when he can be moved." She then left, leaving the teens alone with Seto and Jack.

"Now the only ones who need to get engaged are Annie, Syrus, Hassleberry-oh snap-skies! What time is it??" Violet gasped, looking at the clock that clearly stated eleven.

"Oh, man...then...whatever's to be decided has been decided, Violet...Oh, gosh..." Annie said. "Sy...oh, I hope they're all right!" Everybody looked at each other.

_Yes, everyone, the wait is about over! Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry is about to fight for his love's hand! Next time, _El Diablo Versus Tyranno Negro! _Please read and review! Thank you!_


	36. El Diablo Versus Tyranno Negro

Chapter XXXVI: El Diablo Versus Tyranno Negro

_Hello, again, everyone. If Chazz Princeton (in this tale, soon to be Chazz Rhodes) were a real person, he would be glad to know that people care about him, even those who don't particularly like him. We thank you for your concern. We authors have also been pleased to notice so much interest from different countries in our little tale. So allegra, g'day, hola, hello, eh, hallo, alô and ciao to you all! If we've missed anyone, please let us know! We'd also like to thank longtime reviewer RGZ Archer/AlexieJayFan for the faithful reviews and the title for this chapter._

_To recap, Chazz is now in the hospital and the Kaibas are ready to take on Slade and Jagger themselves. And then everyone remembers that their friend, known to them at this point as Tyranno Hassleberry and not Tyson, is battling for the hand of the woman he loves. So what will happen next? Read and find out!_

_**Usual disclaimer: If you didn't get it before in the last chapters, you won't get it now. You know what we own and don't own. Thank you!**_

Back in Texas, as everyone in Domino was still sleeping, just waking up or heading to breakfast, Tyson Hassleberry was preparing for battle. 'All right, Tyson...failing the mission is not an option!' he told himself as he looked in the mirror of his bedroom.

Rosa and her parents had all slept in the guest bedroom, since it was against tradition for a woman to sleep in the same bed as an unrelated man until she was engaged. Jose had woken at the crack of dawn, asking the Lord that Tyson be given strength. At the moment he was slipping on his white tank top, already wearing a pair of beige sweatpants. Rosa had been unable to get much sleep out of worry and finally sat up after her father left the room. "Ty-Ty...please be careful," she whispered.

Tyson, meanwhile, had pulled on his military style cargo pants and his vintage Jurassic Park t-shirt. He had also tied on a khaki bandana to keep his hair in place. "Help me, Great General...and help me fight honorably," he prayed softly. He left his room and headed to breakfast.

Everyone was already at the table except for Rosa and her mother. Jose was in the middle of explaining why when Tyson walked over and sat down. "Hola, Señor Tyson. I hope that you slept well..."

"Yes, sir, I did...and...thank you..."

"De nada. Now then, as I was saying, it is tradition for la chica to wear a special vestido. Josephina, help her get ready."

"Um...is there any tradition a gentleman fighting to be a suitor needs to follow, Señor Jimenez?" Tyson asked. His face was very serious, so much so that Dean Hassleberry looked at his son a bit worried.

Jose raised an eyebrow. "Not really, only the rules everyone must follow. Juega justo, no juego sucio, ser honorable, etc. And do not be so serio. Se le hará tensa y lower your chances of winning."

"Son, relax..." Dean said. "I think Jose's trying to help you..."

Tyson nodded. "Gracias, sir..."

"De nada...oh, here está mi niña," he said through a proud sigh. Josephina had entered first, standing by the doorway as Rosa walked in. Her short hair was pulled back into a small ponytail, revealing a pair of jade earrings. She wore a dress as blue as the clear sky, with ruffles from the waist down. Rosa wore a pair of blue heels, the Rosetta pouch hanging from a thread around her neck. A five-petal purple flower with a blue stripe down each petal poked out from above her ear. It was native to her hometown, and Josephina had brought it especially for this.

Tyson stood up and walked over to the woman he loved, took her right hand and suavely kissed her knuckles. "Darlin', you are beautiful." He couldn't say anything else at that moment, because his throat tightened.

Rosa blushed, she had worn this very outfit numerous times for all of her other suitors. "Gracias, Ty-Ty." The three sat back down, and everyone had a late morning snack. Rosa would occasionally glance nervously at her father or Tyson, being careful to never meet their eyes purposely.

Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry found himself unable to talk through that whole snack. All he could do was look at the young woman he loved and reflect on how absolutely beautiful she was. 'My Spanish Rose...beautiful inside and out...' he thought.

Finally, the snack was finished, and the tension seemed to rise a little as everyone headed outside. Surprisingly, there was a large ring drawn in the dirt, something Jose had done when he'd first awakened. "Las reglas son fáciles. There are dos ways to win. Uno; pin your opponent for diez counts. Dos; push your opponent out of the ring. Understand?" Jose explained, entering the circle.

"All right, sir...I understand..." Tyson looked at his parents.

Lily smiled sweetly. "Go, honey!" Dean grinned, choosing not to say anything, but giving his only child a thumbs-up.

"Be careful, Ty-Ty!" called Rosa, hands locked together anxiously.

Jose got into a wrestling stance. "Uno, dos, tres-GO!!" he yelled. The bull fighter lunged at Tyson, aiming to put him in a headlock.

Tyson, however, was ready for this... Rather than just go for brute force, the boy sidestepped the man's attack.

Now, normally, this likely would have sent the opponent flying out of the ring. However, Jose was an expert at making instant stops and turns from experience as a bull fighter. So, he easily turned on his heel just inches away from the edge of the ring, and managed to latch onto one of Tyson's wrists.

Tyson, thanks to his military training, focused on the weakest point of Jose's grip--his thumbs--and twisted in the man's grasp, breaking his grip. And Tyson turned the tables on his opponent. "I won't lose..." He grabbed Jose's wrists and his dinosaur DNA took over, making Tyson far stronger.

Jose hadn't been expecting such immense strength, which almost seemed more than the bulls he had fought. "Do not think this will end so easily..." He pulled back slightly to gain momentum, then shoved all of his weight forward into the dino-boy to try and throw him off-balance.

But Tyson would not be knocked off-balance. "It will end," he growled, his teeth set. He shoved back hard, knocking Jose back and out of the ring.

Jose ended up falling onto his back, slightly dazed for a few moments before sitting up. 'I don't know what is inside that muchacho, but he is stronger than el toro. That is why I could not beat him and why he shall have my daughter,' thought Jose, smiling.

Rosa smiled broadly, running over to wrap her arms around Tyson. "Tú did it, Ty-Ty! Tú won!!"

"Rosa...darlin'..." He was back to himself completely and twirled her in his arms. "Can I kiss you now?"

Rosa nodded. "Besides the wedding, there are no more restrictions."

"Great! Oh, Rosa...just a second..." He walked over to Jose and helped him up. "Thank you, sir."

Jose smiled. "Think nada of it, hijo. Tú have won the right to be engaged to mi hija. Congratulations."

Josephina couldn't help but cry. "Mi niña has finally been betrothed..."

Rosa blushed, taking the flower from her hair. "Ty-Ty, first I am to give tú this as a winning token," she explained, handing it to him.

"Darlin'...oh, my..." Tyson was flushed with excitement and nervousness.

Rosa sent him a smile, then turned and walked over to his parents. "And you get mi Rosettas." She removed the pouch from around her neck and handed it to Dean. "You can break them open on the day that we are married," she explained, bowing slightly.

"We'll be honored, and honored to finally have a daughter," Dean said, happy for his son. He hugged both the kids close. "And...that's my boy," he said with tears in his eyes. Dean Hassleberry occasionally got moved to tears and this was one of those occasions.

Lily hugged the kids as well. "Oh, I'm so proud, I could bust my buttons! Oh, goodness, I've gotta call George and Laura! And your grandparents!"

"Oh, yeah, Mama!" Tyson said, happy but somewhat numb.

"We will have to tell los chicos, Josephina," reminded Jose.

She nodded. "They will be so glad to hear that their hermanita has finally found someone."

Rosa blushed, finally returning her gaze to Tyson. "Ty-Ty...te quiero," she whispered before pressing her lips against his.

Tyson held her to him and melted into the kiss. 'I've won her heart...' Finally, the kiss ended. "Rosa...my Spanish Rose..." He brushed his rough hand against her soft tawny cheek. "We'll have to do some shoppin'," he said softly.

Rosa grinned. "All right. Oh! We have to tell the others!!" she gasped. They were probably wondering whether their best friend had won or not.

"Yeah...Mama'll be on the phone for a bit...We'll just have to wait her out...and your mama and daddy will want to call your side of the family...Rosa?"

"You are right...did you want to ask me something, Ty-Ty?" she replied, catching the tone in his voice. Their parents had gone back inside, leaving the couple out in the desert heat to talk.

"Darlin'...what kind of ring would you like? That's what I'd like to go shoppin' for..." Tyson swallowed nervously. "I...can't afford much yet...but I'll do my best, darlin'..."

Rosa sighed. "Ty-Ty, I am really not supposed to tell anyone this, but...can tú keep it secret?"

He looked at her. "Yeah...I can keep things classified, Spanish Rose...What is it?"

Rosa twisted her long fingers into her dress nervously. "Well, you see, not just any metal is inside las Rosettas. They are actually rings that have been passed down generation through generation in the Jimenez family. That is why they must be opened on our wedding day."

"Oh, my...Rosa...darlin'...wow..." Tyson said. "Well, I'd still like to get something to celebrate our engagement. Can I...still do that?"

Rosa nodded eagerly. "Of course! I just did not want tú to spend your dinero on a ring, when we already have them."

"Okay...then...we can go to Houston or San Antonio together and find something...What kind of jewelry do you like best, Spanish Rose?"

"Aretes. I have many pairs at home," she replied, smiling.

"Earrings? Okay..." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Rosa...do you want diamonds? Or is there somethin' else you'd like?"

Rosa thought for a moment. "Actually, me gusta rubies. They are also mi birth stone."

"Rubies? Well...that's wonderful, darlin'...something rose for my Rose... they'll make you look gorgeous..." He blushed. "You are already...and those'll just make you more so..."

She smiled. "Oh, Ty-Ty...tú know, now we can sleep in the same room."

"You...want to?" Tyson blushed again. "Darlin'...I'm okay with sleepin', but...umm..." He was turning red.

Rosa blushed, sweat-dropping. "Of course we will not do anything like _that_ yet, but it will be nice to be with tú."

Tyson breathed a sigh of relief. "I mean...darlin', I want to be with you but I'm not ready...But if you want to sleep in the same bed with me, I'm glad." He pulled her close, kissing her deeply.

Rosa returned the kiss, her eyes closed as a rare desert breeze blew past and rustled her skirts. Then, a voice called from the back door. "Rosadina, Tyson, dos en llegar aquí before tú get heat stroke!" Josephina called worriedly, wanting them back in the air conditioned house.

"Comin', Josephina! C'mon, darlin'," Tyson said, leading her by the hand. Lily was, as Tyson thought, on the phone jabbering away to her parents. "Oh...why didn't I think of it?! Rosa...I have a cell phone with Private Lexi's number on it! Let's call her!"

Rosa smiled. "Great! I cannot wait to tell them the good news." They went to Tyson's room, Rosa sitting on the bed as he got out his cell phone.

The young man's hands shook. "My hands are tremblin', I'm so excited...Rosa...We're gettin' married!"

"I know, Ty-Ty! I am so excited...but tú are shaking mucho. Should I call instead?"

"I...I can do it..." He thumbed the contacts button and called up Alexis's phone number. The phone rang.

All the way back in Domino City, California, Alexis couldn't help but blink in surprise when her cell phone rang. "Who could possibly be call-guys! It's Hassleberry!!" she gasped.

"Oh, my!" Annie held Syrus's hand and crossed the fingers of her other hand.

Jaden sat at attention. "Oh, man, Hassleberry, I hope you've got good news..." Zane got up and paced a minute.

Violet was trembling with excitement when Alexis finally answered. "Hey, Hassleberry. Sorry to be so blunt, but did you win or not??"she asked anxiously.

"Hey, Private Lexi...WE'RE GETTIN' MARRIED!" he cheered into the phone.

The cheer was so loud that Alexis had to pull the phone away from her ear, allowing everyone to hear the good news.

Violet jumped up into the air. "Woo-hoo! He did it!!"

Syrus let out a sigh of relief and smiled, while Atticus grinned broadly. "Seems like everyone's walkin' down the aisle lately!"

"I think we've got time, Atticus!" Annie said.

"Yeah... and plenty of time to plan bachelor parties!" Zane grinned.

"Oh yeah, we have to have three," replied Syrus, sweat-dropping.

"Hey! Don't forget about the bachelorette parties!!" Violet and Alexis reminded him almost at the same time. They blinked and looked at each other, then laughed at the strange coincidence.

"Funny, I expected that from Atticus somehow..." Annie said. "Ask how it happened, Alexis!!"

She nodded and pressed the speaker button on her cell phone. "Why don't you tell us how it happened, Hassleberry? Was it hard??"

"And how! Rosa's daddy put up a fight, and it was so hard, my dinosaur DNA kicked in and even then, it was hard," Tyson grinned. "But I managed to shove him out of the ring...And...I've won the sweetest and toughest girl in the world with all due respect to you, Sarge and you, Private Bastion...Hey, where's Private Chazz?"

Alexis' smile turned into a frown, eyes becoming downcast. "Well, you see, Hassleberry, this morning we went out to breakfast and...ran into his brothers. They beat him up pretty badly; enough that he had to go into the ER."

"What? Private Lexi? What are you sayin'? Sarge?" But Jaden had hugged his mother close, not wanting to talk.

"His brothers, Hassleberry. You know Slade and Jagger Princeton, don't you?" she asked, biting her bottom lip. Meanwhile, Violet had tensed at the word "beat", just like before as the memory hit her like a ton of bricks.

Bastion slipped his hand into Violet's, willing his own strength into her. "Yeah, I heard of them. Those varmints! They hurt him? What happened?!" Tyson asked, the anger in his voice obvious. His eyes also flashed, briefly shifting to dinosaur form.

"Well, they went outside to talk and...just beat him. We found him, thankfully, and brought him to the hospital. He's resting right now..."she explained sadly. Violet flinched as the word was repeated, turning to Bastion and burying her face into his shoulder to keep herself from crying.

"Those...Oh, those...I'd use stronger language but an officer and a gentleman doesn't use it when he knows ladies are present...But I'd deal with 'em and I know Dad and Jose would help..."

"Hassleberry, right?" Kisara was the one who'd spoken.

"Yeah, and who might this be?" he asked politely.

"Kisara Kaiba. I'm Annie's doctor..."

"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am. But what is it?"

"Honey, we're dealing with this...this is an occasion where shock and awe isn't needed, okay?"

"Okay, ma'am...but is Private Chazz gonna be okay?"

She looked over at Scout and Jayda, who nodded. "He will be."

"We'll keep you posted, okay? If anything happens we'll call," Alexis stated reassuringly.

"Thanks, Private Lexi...Darlin', get on the phone!" he coaxed his fiancée.

Rosa sweat-dropped. "Ty-Ty...tú are on your cell phone, remember?"

"Let me hand it to you, darlin'!"

Rosa sighed and took the phone. "Hola, Rosa speaking," she greeted.

"Hi, Rosa!" several voices shouted at once.

"Rosa, we wish you were here!" Annie yelled.

Rosa smiled. "Oh, gracias. Are tú feeling any better, Senorita Annie?"

"Yeah...I've been relaxing and Sy hasn't left my side! And the gang has been here most of the time, so it's like a big party! I wish you guys had been here last night because we had Mexican food!"

"Sounds wonderful. But it is all right; mi mama made some of her recipes for dinner last night."

"Oh, wow! Real Spanish food! So...what's it like in Texas? Do you like it there? Have you met anybody interesting?" Annie blushed. "Besides Hassleberry and his family, I mean..."

Rosa laughed a little at all of the questions. "It is cálido y seco, but very beautiful. So far, I only met his neighbors who live nearby. They are praying for you."

"Tell them...Tell them your friend Annie said hello and that she said thank you!" the blue-eyed girl smiled.

"All right. That I shall do. Oh, did anything else happen?"

"Well, Jaden and Alexis and Violet and Bastion are engaged! Looks like there's three engaged couples in the group now!" Annie grinned. "Jaden asked Alexis last night and Bastion asked Violet this morning! That's why Jaden, Chazz and the Rhodes were at The Flaming Mushroom this morning," she sighed.

Rosa smiled. "Well, now it looks like just tú y Señor Syrus are left."

Annie blushed. "Yeah, well...it's okay. Anyway, Chazz is going to be our roommate...Sy's been my only roommate until now."

"Well, I hope he will be alright. And I hope that his hermanos get what is coming to them," she replied, growling the last part angrily.

"They will...the Kaibas are planning something and Jaden's daddy is a lawyer...and I'm going to ask my dad for help...Seto...um, Seto Kaiba, I mean...is planning something really big and I think my dad will be able to help...And Alexis and Atticus's dad can help, too...Slade and Jagger are going to wish they were never born when we're through!"

"Wonderful!" she replied happily.

Suddenly, Josephina poked her head into the room. "Rosadina, Tyson, lunch is ready," she stated quickly before leaving.

"Oh, Senorita Annie, we have to go. I will be sure to tell Ty-Ty's neighbors what tú said. Adios!"

"Thanks, Rosa! Congratulations!" everybody yelled. "Bye!"

Tyson hugged Rosa close. "Darlin', I could fly to the moon and back right now...but poor Private Chazz..."

Rosa nodded. "Yo sé, Ty-Ty. But...we just have to be strong for him. Hopefully, things will turn out all right." The two kids in Texas headed to a late lunch, and back in Domino, the group heard a gurney rolling down the hall.

_Cliffhanger, folks, and it is a mild one. How will Chazz look when the group sees him and will Kisara begin Slade and Jagger's downfall? Next time…_


	37. Karma

Chapter XXXVII: Karma

_Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to _Summer Love, Summer Fears._ We are glad so many of you are still enjoying this story. And thank you for all your reviews! We hope those of you who are going back to school will be able to keep up on this and we hope you have a great school year. Anyway, last chapter, we saw Tyson "Tyranno" Hassleberry win the hand of the fair yet tough Rosadina Jimenez. And as the chapter closed, the GX kids still in Domino heard a gurney being wheeled down the hall. So what will happen next? Read and discover!_

_**Disclaimer: Again…we don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We own our OCs, non-established characters, this story idea and our version of the Yugi-verse.**_

In Domino City at Children's Hospital, the group of teens and parents heard a gurney rolling down the hall. Jayda and Scout got up, gave their children hugs and headed out to the hallway. Darla held Sy and Annie close, and Kisara also headed out to the hallway. "Oh, my...that poor boy," Kisara said softly. Chazz was a pitiful sight from what he'd been early in the morning. He was unconscious now, and badly bruised. He had an IV running into him and bandages all over. The orderlies pushed his gurney into the room carefully and the kids got a good look at their friend and brother for the first time since the beating.

Violet had to turn away, unable to look without bursting into tears. Syrus frowned sadly along with Atticus, while Alexis buried her face into her mother's side.

Jaden clenched his fists. "Those...excuse me..." He walked out much as Bastion had done when he had found out about what Mike had done, and as Tyson had done in Texas when he'd found out about Rosa's ex-boyfriend, Jorge.

Bastion looked out the window in the hallway and saw Jaden in the field, yelling at the top of his lungs and commented, sweat-dropping, "That field is rather handy, isn't it?"

Jayda nodded. "You'd be surprised at how many people use it on a weekly basis. You poor baby," she said softly, moving over to Chazz's gurney. "Let's get him into bed...He'll be awake in a little bit."

"Hey, Chazz," Annie said, tears coming to her eyes.

Kisara, meanwhile, clenched her own fists and Seto Kaiba looked things not lawful to be uttered. "I'm calling that restaurant," he said softly and she nodded.

Syrus wrapped an arm comfortingly around Annie's shoulders, while Atticus glared at the tiled floor. Violet remained turned away, shaking a little, while Alexis was trying to hold back tears beside her mother. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay," stated Darla reassuringly.

Jaden walked back in about 5 minutes later. "Do you feel better, Jaden, honey?" Jayda asked.

"Yeah, Mom...I just needed to let some stuff out...it wouldn't have been cool..." Chazz was now in the hospital bed and Jaden moved to the bedside. "Chazz...bro, I'm here...we all are..." Scout moved to the other side of the bed and gently brushed the unruly mop of raven hair.

Violet took in a breath, finally working up the nerve to look at her friend. Tears sprung to her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. "Poor Chazzy..." she mumbled sadly.

Alexis finally joined most of the others at his bedside, staring down sadly at her new brother. "Bro..."

Kisara said, "I'll be right back...Slade's going down..."

Seto followed her out in the hall. "Babe, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Making my phone calls." She dialed fast and made a conference call to the chair people of the Republican and Democratic National Committees. "Hi, Karl, hey, Hillary!" she greeted.

"Mrs. Kaiba," Karl said, "to what do we both owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Yes," Hillary said, surprised, "I'd think you wouldn't call us at the same time..."

"Guys, I'm calling in a solid 'you-owe-me...' Slade Princeton is a child beater and I have the proof to bring him down. I would like you both to pulp his Senate run...I'll have Seto send you the DVD copies."

"Yes ma'am..." They thanked her, she thanked them and they hung up.

"Done..." she said.

"Babe, you enjoyed that," Seto said, surprised.

"I did...taking down abusers is fulfilling, honey."

The Kaibas walked back into the room. "Kisara, what happened out there?" Annie asked.

"Just took out the trash...Slade Princeton is finished," Kisara said, grinning wickedly.

Violet smiled along with Syrus. "Thanks, Kisara. Now we just have to deal with Jagger," replied Alexis.

"Yeah...leave that to me..." Seto grinned in much the same way he had when he and Yugi had faced Lumis and Umbra at Battle City. "I know some of Princeton Corp's shareholders and I'll make some phone calls...at the very least, the company will have a plurality and those jerks won't be in control." At this moment, Chazz moaned softly.

"I think he's waking up!" stated Syrus. Alexis bent down slightly, watching Chazz and waiting for him to open his eyes.

"Chazz, it's Mommy...I'm here," Scout said softly.

"He'll squeeze your hand, Jaden...Chazz, if you can hear me, squeeze Jaden's hand," Kisara said quickly. Jaden felt a weak squeeze. Kisara moved quickly to dim the lights in the room. "Chazz, try opening your eyes, kiddo..." Chazz groaned softly and managed it as one eye could barely open due to his swollen cheek.

Alexis smiled and just barely stopped herself from hugging the living daylights out of him. "Oh, Chazz, thank goodness you're awake! We were so worried..."

"You feelin' okay, little bro?" asked Atticus.

"Kinda...spacey...where am I?" Chazz asked.

"You're at Domino Children's," Kisara said. "Chazz, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Mom...in the alley...Ojamas...Everything's kind of a blur...after that..."

"Well, you were in the ER. They had to treat your injuries and now you're going to be Annie's roommate for a little while," explained Darla.

"I was...in the ER?" Chazz considered that. "Wait..." He got a little agitated. "Slade...Jagger..."

"Sweetie, they're not here..." Scout soothed, brushing his bangs.

"They'll come after you," he croaked, worried that his old family might hurt his new one.

"We won't let them near you," Kisara said.

"Yeah, I'm already getting extra security," Seto said. "They won't know what hit them if they try anything."

"Thanks...Sis...big bro..." Chazz whispered. Jaden let go of the boy's hand and moved back so his brother and sister could move close.

Atticus and Alexis did so, each standing on either side of him. "Don't worry, bro, they're going to regret doing this. Along with everything else they've ever done to you," stated Alexis.

Atticus nodded. "And if they ever try to touch you again, I'll give them a taste of their own medicine," he added.

"Can't...Atty," Chazz managed. "Don't...want you getting hurt...that's why..." He looked up at the man he now called father. "Dad...they would've...hurt you too..."

Jack sighed. "I understand what you're saying, son. I know you don't want any of us getting hurt. But we're family, and family stands up for each other. Next time they come around, they'll have to face all of us. Then, we'll see just how tough they truly are."

Seto moved. "Jack, trust me...I'm posting security around you and your family as a precaution. Kisara has dealt them a bad blow and they will want revenge. My guess is when they realize they will lose Chazz, they might get mean...We're helping, too."

Chazz started to relax. "What'd you do?" he asked.

Kisara grinned. "Slade's not going to get his senate run..."

"How'd you do that?"

"Made a call to both party heads, kid...Oh, that was fun..."

"See, bro? They're going to get what's coming to them. So don't worry," Alexis stated, smiling.

Atticus grinned. "Oh yeah, we have great news, little bro!"

"Wh-what?"

"Well, Jaden and I aren't the only ones engaged anymore. Violet and Bastion and Rosa and Hassleberry are, too," explained Alexis happily. Violet held up the peace sign from her spot beside Bastion, grinning.

Chazz looked over at Bastion. "Congrats..."

"Thanks, old friend," Bastion said.

Then the raven-haired boy in the bed noticed the trace of tears on Violet's face. "Violet? Were you upset about me?" he asked tiredly.

Violet's smile instantly became a frown, and she turned away from the others. "Well...yes...and no...it's complicated," she mumbled, staring at the floor.

Annie looked at her best friend and knew she needed out of bed. Sy moved to help Annie and she climbed out quickly. "Violet..." Annie moved and hugged her friend close. "It's okay..."

Violet sighed. "I don't know...I thought that I was okay, since the nightmares stopped. But...Annie, when you told me about Chazz, the memory came back and hurt worse than the 

nightmares. Then, it happened again, when Alexis was telling Hassleberry about it. I don't know why they won't go away..."

Annie just hugged her. Kisara said, "I think I know why...until I was about 10, I freaked out when someone said a certain word because it reminded me of my biological parents' last fight...it took a long time before I was okay when somebody said the b-word...Honey, you've have had some bad things happen..." Bastion moved and hugged both girls.

Violet felt a little better now that she knew what the problem was. "Okay, so...we should probably figure out which word it is for future reference, huh?" she asked, glancing over at Kisara.

Kisara nodded. "What was said?" she asked, looking at the other kids.

"Well, she said it happened when Annie and I talked about what happened to Chazz. All we said was how his brothers beat him up pretty badly..." Alexis explained. Violet twitched, body tensing up in the double-hug from her best friend and fiancé.

"Violet?" Annie asked. "Is that it? When they said 'beat him?'"

Again, she tensed, able to respond with a nod. "It's probably just the word 'be-I mean, the first one," stated Alexis.

"Okay...Violet," Kisara said, "I'm going to need to talk to your mom, honey. You need a counselor, and when you get back home, you're going to need a little time with one, all right?"

Violet nodded. "So, uh, you probably need my phone number, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, sweetie, I'll need your number...It'll be okay, Violet..."

Annie pulled away from the hug, letting Bastion take over. "Darling...darling, I'm here...he won't hurt you again if I can help it," he whispered.

Violet sighed and told Kisara her phone number, then just allowed herself to be lost in Bastion's arms. 'I trust you, Bastion. I know that you'll protect me,' she thought.

Syrus thought of something, and followed Kisara out into the hallway where she was going to make the phone call. "Uh, Kisara? I have a question..."

"What is it, Syrus?" Kisara asked curiously, kneeling down slightly.

"Well, uh, it's about Violet. What if she runs into Mike when she and Bastion go to Cleveland? He did hurt her once already..."

Kisara was quiet for a minute. "With any luck, honey, she won't run into him...but if she does and he tries something while Bastion's with her...well, I'd hate to be that guy..."

Syrus nodded. Violet would probably never even leave Bastion's side, so she would probably be okay. "All right...thanks, Kisara." He quickly went back into the room, leaving her alone in the hallway.

"No problem, honey..." she said as he headed back into the room. Kisara dialed the number that Violet gave her and waited as the phone rang.

All the way across the country, the phone at the Haverbrook residence began ringing as incessantly as it always did. Barbara sighed and quickly dried her hands, answering the phone. "Hello, Haverbrook residence. Barbara Haverbrook speaking."

"Hello, Mrs. Haverbrook. This is Kisara Kaiba...I'm a doctor at Domino Children's Hospital, ma'am and I need to talk to you about your daughter..."

"Really? As in 'Kaiba Corporation' Kaiba??" asked Barbara, surprised. However, the second part of Kisara's statement then registered. "Hospital? Did something happen to Violet??"

"Seto Kaiba is my husband, yes, ma'am. As to Violet, physically she's all right, but she's having some emotional difficulties at the moment. Has she been keeping in contact with you the last few days?"

Barbara frowned, guessing exactly what the problem was. "Well, no, actually. She hasn't called since the time she asked if it would be all right to stay with her new boyfriend in Domino. Then, she asked if we'd let him visit Cleveland and stay with us," she explained thoughtfully.

"Well, first let me say that her young man is an absolute angel. He's so sweet with her...and right now that's a very good thing. Memories of her previous boyfriend have been coming back to haunt her, I'm afraid..."

Barbara sighed, having guessed correctly. "That's what I thought you meant. Violet changed, after that event. Of course, she was still the hyper-active, giddy girl that she'd always been. But Alan and I could tell something was wrong. Personally, we were hoping that getting a new boyfriend would fix this problem."

"Well, in light of recent happenings, I think she needs counseling. She's had a rough few days. Two of her friends are in the hospital and one of them was brought in due to...sibling abuse. Violet reacted badly..." Kisara was barely managing to keep her temper at this.

"Oh my, how terrible..." Barbara had to sit down, as nothing bad like that had ever really happened in their quiet town. "I see how those things could bring back the memory. If you needed our permission for counseling, you have mine. If it helps Violet, then I'm grateful, to say the least."

"Okay, thank you, Mrs. Haverbrook. I'm surprised Violet didn't call you when her friend was brought in here...Do you know of Annie Hanson?"

"Yes, Violet's told us about her best friend many times. We're so glad that she was able to make one. All of us were worried that Duel Academy would be a repeat of her original school..."

"Well, Annie's here because...it looks as if she might have a heart condition. We don't know if it's going to be life-threatening or not, but Violet's been pretty upset about it. She has her other friends around her, but for a bit, she blamed herself for what happened to Annie..."

Barbara sighed. "I should probably tell you that it was hard for Violet to make friends. She really only had two close ones, but then after the incident...of course the one was out of the question for doing such a thing. Her only remaining friend unfortunately moved away the next week, so she was alone. After so many bad things happening at once, I'm not surprise she blamed herself for another bad incident."

"She opened up and told us everything the morning after Annie was admitted. My husband and my friends, her boyfriend and her other male friends were about ready to come to Ohio and hunt Mike down, to be honest. She had to tell Bastion to calm down." Kisara drew a breath and continued, "And then this morning, her friend, Chazz was admitted and someone used a certain word to describe what happened to him and she got very upset. It's what we call a trigger-word situation where a person associates a word or certain words with a trauma. It's common enough and Violet definitely has it."

"I see. She did see a counselor after it happened, but it didn't seem to help much. All the counselors ever seemed to do was make things worse. If it was the same situation now as it was before she left for Duel Academy, I would have had to say no to your proposal. But...maybe she'll make some real progress now that she has friends and a boyfriend to lean on."

Kisara smiled. "No one in the group will abandon her. And Bastion loves her. She was so upset the night Annie was admitted, she ran out into the rain and he ran after her into the storm. They came back soaked to the skin and she got quite a nasty cold, but she's okay now..."

"It's good to know that she found some true friends. She gets sick easily, because she has a weak immune system. Luckily, it's never very serious..."

Suddenly, a door being opened could be heard in the background. "Mama, I'm home!" called a childish female voice.

"Oh, I have to go, Kisara. Thank you for looking after my daughter and calling me."

"No problem, Mrs. Haverbrook, and I'll have her call you...doctor's orders. Bye now..."

"Goodbye, Kisara." Barbara hung-up the phone and went to greet her youngest child.

Kisara came back into the room. "Violet? Sweetie, I'm going to have you call your mother later, all right? She knows what's happened, but I think she needs to hear it from you, okay?"

Violet was now sitting in one of the chairs, much more calm than before. "All right, but do I really need to see a counselor, Kisara? All of the other times it didn't really help much..."

"Violet..." Kisara sat down next to her. Bastion kept his arm around his fiancée, concerned. "Honey, you need this...One thing you have going for you is a big support group...And another thing you've got is better resources..."

"Kisara?" Bastion asked. "What do you mean?"

"Seto and I have connections and we can find the best counselor for you, Violet."

Violet smiled. "Well...all right. But can Bastion be with me?" she asked anxiously.

"Of course, honey; he can be with you. You'll get a counselor here and a counselor where you live, okay?"

She nodded. "Thanks, Kisara. But...it's not going to be right away, is it?" Violet didn't want to leave Chazz right now, when he needed all the support he could get.

"No, Violet," Kisara said. "I have to do a little looking here, and the earliest session you'll be in will probably be tomorrow."

Violet let out a sigh of relief and rested her head on Bastion's shoulder. "That's good...I'd feel bad if I had to leave Chazz right now."

"No one has to leave," the doctor said.

Seto, meanwhile, stood up. "I'll be back, okay, everybody? Chazz...your brothers are about to pay...big time..." He came over to the side of the bed and clasped the boy's hand in a friendly gesture.

"Bye, honey," Kisara said.

"Bye, Seto. Thanks again," Alexis said, smiling.

Seto nodded and headed out. Chazz looked around. "Violet?"

Violet looked up. "Yeah, Chazzy?"

"Don't be upset..."

"Sorry, Chazzy. I just can't stand seeing one of my new friends get hurt." Violet still considered them to be her "new" friends, because they'd only become friends in the past two years.

"New friends?" Jaden asked, moving over to Violet. "We're your friends, even if it's only been for a little bit...and I don't like it when anybody's hurt..." He looked up at Bastion. "Can I hug your fiancée, Bastion?"

"It's all right, if it's all right with her," Bastion answered.

Violet smiled. "I know, Jay. And of course you can hug me. In fact..." Her smile turned into a grin and she jumped up, nearly sending Jaden to the ground with a hug of her own.

Alexis laughed. "She always has to be the one to start the hug..."

Jaden grinned. "Dad said one day I'd meet my hugging match, right, Mom?"

Jayda smiled. "He did..."

Violet pulled away, smiling. "What can I say? I'm a huggy type of girl..."

Atticus grinned. "So we noticed."

Annie smiled. "GROUP HUG! Violet, hug Chazz!"

Instantly, Violet had her arms wrapped around Chazz's neck, Alexis joining her. Syrus and Atticus also hugged their brother and friend, laughing happily. Zane moved over, as did Jaden, and Annie got out of bed to join in the hug. Each of the doctors hugged too, enveloping Chazz and Violet tightly. Bastion, of course, hugged Violet first.

"I love a good group hug! Hooray for us!!" cheered Violet. 'Not that I've had many...' she added mentally as an afterthought.

"Yay!" Annie said, smiling at her friend's enthusiasm. "I've got to sit down. Kisara, when are my tests?"

"In about an hour, all right?" Annie nodded.

The group hug ended. "Kisara, we have to wait here, don't we?" Syrus asked.

"Well, Annie can bring a friend if she wants. I doubt you want to go alone, do you, Annie?"

"No...and...Violet, you should stay with Bastion...Sy...could you go with me?"

Syrus nodded. "Of course!"

Violet smiled. "If any of us were allowed to go, Annie, it should be Sy. I don't mind staying here with the others."

"Okay...I just didn't want you to feel bad...I hate having to choose..." Annie said, blushing. Kisara sighed and smiled. "I understand...when you have so many good friends, you can't totally choose...Okay, Sy...you're going to need to be outfitted for this, all right?"

Syrus blinked. "Uh, okay..."

Violet grinned. "Oh, oh, is he going to have to wear one of those smock things that doctors wear??"

"He gets a pair of scrubs, honey," Kisara grinned and winked at Darla. Ordinarily, it wouldn't be necessary, but Sy might feel more helpful if he wore something similar to what his mom was wearing.

Darla smiled. "Don't worry, son. It's nothing much. Just something to make sure germs don't spread."

Syrus nodded. "Okay."

"Okay, then." Kisara called for an orderly to bring a wheelchair so Annie could ride. "You two ready?"

Annie nodded and took Sy's hand when she got into the wheelchair.

"Yeah. We'll see you guys in a little bit," Syrus stated as they left. Darla went with Kisara and the teens, pushing Annie's wheelchair.

_Annie is about to undergo testing to determine what is really wrong with her. Is Kisara's assessment correct about Annie's heart? And how will Syrus deal with Annie's tests? Please stay tuned for the next chapter, "Testing." Until then, read and review! 15animefreak15 and Peach Wookiee thank you all!_


	38. Testing

Chapter XXXVIII: Testing

_Hello, again, everyone. We welcome you back to "Summer Love, Summer Fears." This story is, admittedly, getting angsty at times and we hope that doesn't turn you off to it, dear readers. Anyway, again, we thank you loyal readers and reviewers, and greet you! Last time, Chazz was brought into Annie's room, now a great deal more battered than when he woke up in the morning. And now, Annie is facing the tests that determine exactly what is wrong with her. Sy will not leave her side. So what is in store for them?_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. We looked. We don't. We own this story, our OCs, non-established characters and our interpretations. We would also like to thank several medical websites which gave us valuable information regarding testing for tachycardia.**_

_**Warning: This might be a little angsty and yet a bit romantic, too.**_

Annie waved to her friends as she, her boyfriend and the two doctors headed down the hall. "Dr. Benson's in the west wing, Annie. You okay?" Kisara asked. Annie's expression had gone very serious. This was the face she wore when taking school exams.

Syrus placed a hand on Annie's shoulder. "Annie, it's okay. Don't worry..." Darla nodded.

"I'm okay...I have my game face on, don't I?"

Syrus nodded. "That's your 'game face??'"

"That's what my dad calls it," Annie blushed.

"I go all serious right before something I have to do," Kisara smiled. "My dad noticed the same thing about me, Annie."

"Really? I get nervous," Syrus replied, sweat-dropping.

Darla laughed a little. "But you're getting more confident, Syrus."

"Yeah, Darla, you should've seen him duel Missy Underwood. She's Weevil Underwood's cousin," Annie smiled.

"Underwood? Oh, I detest him," Kisara groaned.

"Yeah, and she had the hots for Zane," Annie sighed. "Like he'd like her!"

"That's how I got into Ra Yellow, Mom," Sy grinned.

Darla smiled. "I remember you telling me about that, son. I was so proud of you..." Then, they realized that they'd reached the right room for the testing.

Annie suddenly gripped Sy's hand tightly. "I know I have to do this, but...I don't like this..." She was starting to panic.

Syrus gave Annie's hand a squeeze. "Don't worry, Annie. I'll be right there with you..."

Annie took several deep breaths. And then a nurse came up to them. "Oh, hello Dr. Kaiba, Dr. Truesdale. This must be Annie...and is this Syrus?"

"Yes, Sarah," Kisara said, "and Syrus needs a pair of scrubs. Sy, you need to go with her for a minute, okay?"

Syrus nodded. "Annie, I'll be back before anything happens. I promise." He kissed her on the cheek and then let go of her hand to leave with Sarah.

Sarah led Sy into a changing room. "Hmmm...Okay, I think we have just the right size for you. And it'll look awesome on you!" She pulled out a pair of blue scrubs. "You can put these on. And they'll really bring out your eyes and go great with your hair. Gosh, you look like your mom!"

Syrus blushed. "Uh, thanks," he mumbled, going behind a curtain. A few moments later he walked back out, wearing the blue scrubs.

Meanwhile, Kisara had gotten Annie down the hall to an exam room. "You okay, Annie?"

"Yeah...they're going to have to draw blood aren't they?"

"Yeah...you weren't conscious when we had to the last time..."

"I don't like needles that much, especially the big ones..." Annie looked really nervous.

"It'll be okay and Sy and Darla will be in soon."

As luck would have it, Syrus walked over in his new outfit with Darla by his side. "Hey, Annie. Do I look okay?"

"Oh, wow...Sy, you look awesome!" Annie said. "You look like a doctor! Doesn't he, Kisara?"

Kisara grinned. "He does..."

Syrus blushed again. "He'd make a great doctor if he wasn't so scared of blood," stated Darla.

"Oh, Sy...then...I feel bad 'cause...I wanted you to be in here when I was getting a blood draw..."

Syrus' eyes widened, but a determined look came onto his face. "Annie, I'll still stay with you. I promised not to leave you alone," he replied a little shakily.

"You sure? I don't want you upset...I just...kind of passed out the last time I had one," Annie blushed.

"It's not uncommon, honey," the nurse said.

"Don't worry, Annie. I can handle it," he stated reassuringly.

Darla nodded. "All right then. Let's get you started..."

Annie swallowed as a nurse came in to check Annie's vitals. The room was getting a little bit crowded so the two doctors had to step out. Annie's blood pressure and temperature were checked and then the nurse took out a rubber strip, a cotton ball, rubbing alcohol and the familiar large syringe. "Okay, Annie, I'll have to have you lie down. Your boyfriend can hold your hand."

"O-okay," Annie groaned.

Syrus took her hand, sending her a comforting smile. "It's going to be okay, Annie. Just relax..."

"I hate shots...I hate 'em," Annie moaned. The needle went in, and Annie gripped Sy's hand tightly. She made a fist as the nurse told her to and the blood flowed into the vial. And the girl turned pale.

Syrus winced when he saw the blood, but knew he had to be strong for Annie. He kissed her forehead, even though his hand was shaking.

Finally, it was over and the nurse took the fresh tube of blood. "Okay, Annie, I'm putting your legs up. You're feeling kind of lightheaded aren't you?" Annie nodded. The nurse left the room briefly and came back with pillows which she placed under the teen girl's legs, elevating them. "I'll be back in a minute, okay?"

"Okay..." Annie said weakly. "Thanks, Sy," she said softly when the nurse left.

Syrus nodded weakly, a little shaky from seeing the blood. "N-No problem, Annie."

"You held up well," she said softly. "Thanks for the kiss."

He smiled. "It was the only thing I could think of that would calm you down."

She propped herself up a little so she was facing him. "Sy, come here a minute."

He leaned over. "What is it, Annie?" She got her arm around his neck and kissed him on the lips, gently.

He blushed, then wrapped his small arms around her waist to better return the kiss.

"Mmmm...this is nice," Annie said when they finally broke the kiss.

"Yeah..." Syrus would have said more, but then the nurse walked back in.

Nurse Sarah seemed to know something had occurred. "Should I...leave you two alone?"

"No, ma'am..." Annie said, blushing. "Um...is Doctor Benson coming?"

"He'll be here in a minute...Let me check your blood pressure again, okay?" Annie nodded and offered her arm. Syrus was blushing as well, moving back a little so that Sarah had room to work. "Okay...your blood pressure's okay, Annie, honey, and I'll get Doctor Benson. Syrus, keep her happy, okay?" the nurse grinned, giving the boy a thumbs-up.

Syrus' blush intensified, and he sweat-dropped after the nurse had left. "Heh…uh, Annie, that was kind of awkward..."

"I don't think that's the first time that's happened. And besides, remember when we woke up in the infirmary after our little fall? I thought I was going to die of embarrassment! And remember how Dr. Crowler flipped out?" Annie affected a good Crowler imitation. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF ANCIENT GEAR GOLEM! AN OBELISK BLUE WITH A RA YELLOW! He was so freaked!"

Syrus was laughing hard, holding his sides as he tried to regain his breath. "Oh, yeah, that was hilarious! I thought he'd be mad at the position we were in, but he was mad that we were in different dorms!!"

"I think he was just really shocked. He seems to do that a lot, and it's an old habit he's trying to break because he likes the kids in the other dorms now." Annie looked a bit puzzled. "I think it's because of Jaden..."

Syrus nodded. "I noticed that, too. He doesn't really pick on the Slifers anymore, and he seems to be giving the Ras more respect. I guess Jay just brings out the best in people."

"Yeah...I think Jaden's cool, but I wouldn't trade you for him...you're the one I love..." Annie might've asked for another kiss, but then there was a knock on the door.

"Annie?" and the doctor entered the room. He was a middle-aged white man with blue eyes, sandy brown hair and a Georgia accent. "I'm Leonard Benson. You can call me Leonard. And who are you, young man?" he asked the aqua-blue-haired boy.

"I-I'm Syrus Truesdale, sir. Annie's boyfriend," he replied nervously, blushing.

"Ah...Oh, you're Darla Truesdale's youngest, aren't you? Well, I'm glad you're here to help. Annie, we're not going to do any cutting open today, but we are going to hook you up to an EKG and we're also going to have you walk around and then jog on a treadmill. I want to see how your heart reacts..." Annie nodded.

"Cutting...open...?" repeated Syrus weakly. His face went pale at the thought, and he quickly leaned against the doctor's table for support.

"Are you all right, Syrus?" the doctor asked, helping him to a chair.

"Sy?!" Annie gasped.

"S-Sorry...it's just that I'm afraid of blood, and..." He shivered at the thought of Annie being "cut open," and all of that blood and...ugh.

"Oh, you're not doing the groin thing?" Annie asked. She'd done some reading on a medical website about heart tests off and on and feared that particular test.

"No, young lady, we won't be doin' that. It's okay, son; your girlfriend won't be doing anything like that; we don't need to be that invasive..."

Syrus let out a sigh of relief. "All right. That's good to know," he mumbled, sweat-dropping.

"All right then...If you're okay, we'll get the ambulatory EKG..." Annie nodded, and again, the kids were alone for a minute.

"Sy...they wouldn't let you in the room if they had to do major surgery on me," Annie said calmly.

"Well, now I'm really glad that they don't have to. I told you that I'd stay with you through all of this," he replied, standing. Syrus walked back over to her, bending to place a kiss on her lips.

"I'm glad you're here with me...I don't think I could do this all alone," Annie said softly.

And then the doctor was back. "Okay, Annie," he said, holding something that looked similar to the Duel Academy PDAs up, except that it had wires and patches, "we need to put these on your chest, so you need to lift your top..."

"Okay, Leonard," Annie said.

Syrus blushed, turning to face the wall. He wasn't sure if Annie was okay with him seeing anything yet.

Fortunately, it was very quick and the doctor tied the PDA-like device around her waist. "There we are, and we're done. I need to call down to the therapy/exercise area so there's a treadmill available...I'll be back..." And again, Sy and Annie were alone.

"Sy, you can turn around now..." Annie said.

He did so, a light blush still on his face. "Uh, I just wasn't sure if you...uh..." he mumbled, staring at the floor.

"You didn't look?"

Syrus shook his head. "Like I said, I wasn't sure if it was, uh, okay with you..." His blush intensified a few shades.

"Did...you...want to, though?" Annie asked, also blushing.

Syrus' eyes widened. "N-no! Of course not!! I mean, uh, oh man," he mumbled, biting his bottom lip.

"Well...umm...I didn't mean like...oh, boy..." Annie was blushing furiously.

Luckily, the two were freed from the awkward conversation as Dr. Benson returned. 'Thank goodness...' thought Syrus.

"Is...everything okay?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, Leonard," Annie said.

"Well, a treadmill is ready for you, Annie. Your boyfriend can come with you...Want to, Syrus?"

He nodded. "Yeah." So, the three went out into the hallway, where Annie's wheelchair was waiting to be used.

Annie sat down again and the doctor wheeled her out to the waiting room as Sy walked at her side. "Dr. Benson?" Kisara asked.

"She's ready for the tests, Dr. Kaiba. And this young man's pretty brave. And a gentleman, too..."

"Oh, is he?" Kisara asked, grinning.

Syrus blushed again. "That's my Syrus, all right. Polite as ever," stated Darla, smiling.

"Well, head on down to Therapy/Active Testing...Dr. Kaiba, a word, please?" Kisara nodded and headed into a room with Benson.

Kisara looked at the cardiologist. "What is it, Leonard?" she asked when they were standing in the exam room.

"This is going to be a test on her stress. I'd like you to have her walk down to Therapy, so I can see how her heart reacts for normal walking. Then she'll run on the treadmill and...she may pass out..."

"Okay, then," she said.

"Keep an eye on the young man..."

"All right," she said and then they headed back to the waiting room.

Syrus looked up when Kisara returned. "Kisara, what's going on?"

"Dr. Benson was telling me about the testing and what may happen, Syrus. Annie, we'll have an exercise outfit ready for you, okay?"

"Okay, Kisara."

"And Annie, you're going to walk down to the therapy/exercise room..." Annie nodded.

Syrus stepped over so that he was right beside the wheelchair, ready to catch Annie if she fell. "You can do it, Annie..."

Kisara moved and raised the foot platforms so Annie could step down. The girl was wearing skid-free socks so she could walk down in her stocking feet.

"Okay...ready..." Annie said and stood. She took a few steps, holding Sy's hand. "I think I'm okay..."

Syrus kept a strong grip on her hand, walking beside her. "That's it, Annie. You're doing it."

Annie held onto his hand all the way to Therapy/ Exercise. "I did it..."

"You did, sweetie," Kisara said, smiling. "Now, we have some exercise wear for you..." She moved to a cupboard and pulled out a raspberry pink sports bra and bike shorts, white athletic socks and a pair of clean sneakers. "I'll help you put these on, all right?" Annie nodded.

Kisara took Annie to a changing room and helped her into the gear. "There you are. And you look darling, Annie!" Kisara complimented.

Annie looked at herself, surprised. A good six inches of skin from the bottom of her bust to her belly button was showing. "You really think so? I'm not that toned..."

"You're fine," the doctor and mother said, helping the girl with her shoes. "Let's go out and see what your boyfriend thinks!"

"Um...okay..." Annie blushed. Together the women stepped out to where Sy and Darla were waiting.

Syrus was sitting on one of the benches in the room, and blushed madly when Annie returned. 'Oh man, she looks so...so...cute! But, I don't want her to think I'm a pervert like Atticus. Oh man...' he thought, eyes wide.

Darla noticed her son's look and laughed quietly. "I think he likes it, Annie..."

"Sy, it's okay...do you...like this?" Annie asked, blushing. "If you do...you're just telling me the truth and there's nothing wrong with that..."

"Uh, yeah...it looks really nice on you, Annie," he mumbled, blushing more.

Annie smiled. "Yay! I'm glad...Well, so I guess I take a jog, huh?"

Kisara nodded. "Let's get you in there...c'mon, Sy..."

Syrus nodded and stood, everyone walking to the treadmill.

Another nurse was waiting for them. "Hi, you must be Annie. I'm Jimmy." He looked like he should be in security rather than nursing as he was barrel-chested. He had dark hair and tanned skin and was very handsome. "Okay, Annie, up on the treadmill. If you start feeling weak, let me know right away, all right?" Annie nodded and climbed on. The nurse turned on the treadmill and Annie began to walk.

"You can do it, Annie," stated Syrus encouragingly. Darla nodded.

Annie walked for a couple of minutes and the heart monitor recorded everything as normal. Then Jimmy raised the speed slightly. Annie moved to match the speed and her heart rate moved slightly upward. The speed increased.

"Is this normal?" Syrus asked.

Kisara nodded. "This is testing her endurance. The real test will come when he gets her running."

Syrus nodded. "You can do it, Annie."

Annie gave Sy a thumbs-up, concentrating on her movement. This went on for a few minutes and then Annie ran on the treadmill. Her heart rate jumped. She started to feel dizzy and signaled for Jimmy to drop the speed so she could stop. Annie turned pale.

"Annie?" Jimmy and Kisara asked, moving close.

"I'm feeling dizzy..."

"Maybe she should sit down," stated Darla worriedly. Syrus bit his bottom lip nervously.

But before they could steer Annie to a chair, her legs buckled and she fainted. "We've got her..." Kisara said. "Jimmy, page Doctor Benson..."

Syrus was beside Kisara and Annie in a heartbeat. "Is she okay, Kisara??"

Kisara moved to the EKG. "It's a reaction...I need Leonard to look at this. Sy, she'll be all right...her heart rate will come down..."

He was relieved by that a little, but still worried. "Uh, does this mean her heart condition's really bad?"

Kisara looked straight at him. "I don't know, sweetie..."

Syrus sighed, and hoped that it wouldn't be. Then, Dr. Benson came in, having obviously rushed.

"Leonard, she passed out...Take a look at this..."

He read the meter. "What did you do the last time it was this high, Kisara?"

"I had to use..." she named a medication... "…to bring it down after it was up like this for ten minutes."

"Let's watch her..." And so they waited for a few minutes.

Syrus stared mostly at the floor, every now and then glancing at Annie's motionless form. Darla placed a comforting arm around her son's shoulders.

Finally, Leonard Benson called for a gurney. "We need to get her heart rate back down now..."

"Agreed...Darla, bring Sy..."

They wheeled the gurney out of the room and moved quickly to a room not too far from the Therapy/exercise room. Dr. Benson plugged an IV back into Annie's arm and got a shot of the same medicine to bring down her heart rate. "This is telling," he said.

Syrus' eyes widened. "What? Does it mean something??" he asked anxiously.

Dr. Benson nodded. "Syrus, I have to talk to her parents before I tell you for sure, though, okay?"

He nodded, hoping it wasn't anything bad. Darla pulled her son close, knowing he was worried.

"Let's take them back to her room," Kisara said, once Annie's heart rate was back down. She wasn't awake, but that wouldn't be a problem.

Darla sighed, and the little group traveled back to the hospital room. Violet appeared to have dozed off in her chair, head propped up by her hand. Alexis and Atticus had been talking with Chazz, and looked up when they entered. "Oh no, is she okay??" Alexis asked worriedly.

"She just had another episode," Kisara explained. "But it tells us some things. Oh, guys, this is Doctor Leonard Benson." She introduced the entire group to the cardiologist.

"Dr. Benson, is Annie all right?" Bastion asked, holding Violet protectively.

"We'll tell you as soon as I've talked to her parents," the doctor answered.

Alexis sighed. "All right. We can wait a little while longer. Right guys?" Atticus nodded, Syrus doing so a few seconds later.

Then, Violet's head slipped off of her palm, waking her so quickly that she jumped up in surprise. "The answer is Pluto!" she yelled, eyes wide.

"Um...Violet, darling? What were you dreaming of?" Bastion asked, laughing.

"Pluto?" Chazz asked, looking at Jaden.

"Your guess is as good as mine, pal..."

Annie chose this moment to moan softly. "Oh..."

Dr. Benson moved close to her bed. "Welcome back, Annie...How are you?"

"Okay, but wondering why I'm in bed and...I did it again, didn't I?"

Violet sweat-dropped, and was kind of glad that Annie woke up and took everyone's mind off of her. Syrus moved to her side, taking her hand. "Yeah. They got the results, but Dr. Benson wants to tell your parents before he tells us."

"I just have to ask you a couple of questions, Annie, okay?" Dr. Benson said. Annie nodded. "What do you remember?"

"I remember...feeling dizzy and then...my chest hurt a bit."

"You had chest pain?" he asked. Annie nodded. The middle-aged doctor and the younger doctor shared a serious look.

Syrus tensed, squeezing Annie's hand a little. Serious looks were never a good thing when it came to doctors. Violet bit her bottom lip and sat back down, staring at the floor.

Annie, tired, just squeezed back. "Sy, Violet...guys...it's okay..."

Kisara brushed the girl's hair. "Leonard and I will be right back, honey...we'll be able to tell you in a few minutes..." She and Benson headed out in the hall.

Nurse Sarah was waiting. "Doctor, here are the blood test results..."

"Thank you, Sarah," he said and took a look.

"What is it, Leonard?" Kisara asked.

"You have a good sixth sense, Kisara; your call of tachycardia has been confirmed."

_And so, what Kisara initially thought was wrong has been confirmed. How will it affect the group? Will they find laughter again? Next time, the group will find out and they will discuss happier times. Prepare for some laughs, folks. Until then, read and review and stay tuned!_


	39. Past Pranksters Part I

Chapter XXXIX: Past Pranksters Part I

_Hello, again, GX believers and fans of _Summer Love, Summer Fears. _Okay, we've had angst and pain and some comedy in the last couple of chapters. As we said, this isn't going to be a totally joyful tale. However, we're taking a departure from gloom in this chapter and giving you, dear readers, a bit more comedy. So prepare for some laughs. Also, this chapter is being broken into two parts._

_Authors' Note: We like Dr. Vellian Crowler very much and our lampooning is all in good fun. As the vice-chancellor of Duel Academy, he is probably the recipient of many pranks. He is also the head of the Obelisk Blue boys which makes it more likely that he'd get pranked. So this, again, is all in good fun!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX or any major motion pictures. We do however own our OCs, this story idea and our interpretations.**_

_**Warning: Dr. Crowler-related humor, done all in good fun. Some sadness, too.**_

"No..." Kisara said, heart breaking. She had hoped that she was wrong about Annie's heart, but unfortunately, Kisara's sixth sense had been dead-on accurate. "Let's call her parents." She and Dr. Benson did quickly and then headed back to Annie and Chazz's room.

Violet had her head propped up with her hands once more, but was wide awake this time. Syrus still stood by Annie's bed, holding her hand nervously. Alexis and Atticus, meanwhile, sat down by Chazz's bed.

"Man, this is tense," Chazz said and winced. "Stupid Slade...stupid Jagger...Annie, you okay?"

"Yeah," Annie said calmly. Somehow, she knew what was coming and was calm about it.

"How can you be? I'd be going nuts!" Jaden said.

"It's okay, Jaden..." she said again.

When the doctors returned, every head in the room looked-up almost simultaneously. They anxiously waited to hear the hopefully good-- or likely bad-- news.

Dr. Benson came over to the bed. "I'll see you later, Annie, okay? Kisara..."

"It's okay, Leonard. I can tell them..." The cardiologist nodded, headed out and went back to his office, sad.

Syrus squeezed Annie's hand tightly, knowing that it was bad. "Kisara...tell us, please..."

"Kids, come close," Kisara said. "Annie, I've talked to your parents, sweetie. They're going to want to talk to you again." Kisara took a deep breath.

The others gathered around the two hospital beds, waiting to hear the news. Syrus, Annie, and Violet's hearts all seemed to speed up in anticipation.

"Annie, you definitely have a form of tachycardia...that means an irregularly fast heart rate. Don't write your will just yet," Kisara said. "This has been going on since you were little. What you have is atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia and it's because something just went wrong with the electrical impulses in your heart. By itself, we wouldn't be too worried. However, the fatigue that you've had since you were a little girl, the fainting and now the chest pain shows that your heart has been compromised. We can regulate your heart, Annie, with medication. You may be on it for the rest of your life, though... However, every attack you have doesn't help you. Annie, this is the dangerous part. If there is significant stress on you for long periods of time that lead to your heart rate being really high, you might have a heart attack. But that is not set in stone, either. With this medication, this may get the tachycardia under control to the point that your heart heals. The good news is...it's reversible."

Everyone had tensed at the news, especially Syrus and Violet. Syrus had to sit on the edge of Annie's bed, and Violet leaned on Bastion for support. It took a moment for all of them to register the good news along with the bad.

"Wait, so you mean you can reverse the damage so that the tachycardia isn't there anymore?" asked Alexis.

"Yeah, Alexis," Kisara confirmed.

"Well...she just can't do anything too exhilarating, right?" Syrus asked.

That brought something to Annie's mind. "Kisara...can I still go to Duel Academy?" she asked, worried that this would be taken from her. To everyone's relief, Kisara nodded.

"So...as long as she takes the medication and doesn't do anything that increases her heart rate, she should be okay. Right?" Violet asked.

"Well..." Kisara thought how to properly tell them this. "The medication should do the trick, but Violet...this form of tachycardia is a little bit tricky...Annie you can rest and still have episodes. With any luck, though, the medication should reduce chances of more attacks. If they occur, however, we may have to do something more invasive. Otherwise, honey, you are in danger."

Annie swallowed. "In...Invasive? Surgery? Then...Oh, my..." It hit her all at once as the sense of peace she'd had evaporated. "So...it's bad enough...that I might..." Her blue eyes flooded as the reality she might leave her friends hit her.

Syrus knew he should be strong for Annie right now, but the thought of her dying brought tears to his own eyes. 'Annie, I can't lose you. I just can't!' he thought.

Violet was thinking much the same thing nearby, crying softly into Bastion's shoulder. Even though everyone told her not to, she once more blamed herself. 'All those times I pushed her to catch up or we'd be late, explore the forest, or scare her. I'm probably the cause of most of her episodes,' she thought sadly. Alexis and Atticus stood silent, trying to will their strength into the three.

Kisara saw their looks. "Guys, don't blame yourselves. Violet, as I said, this has been going on since Annie was little and it isn't your fault that it's gotten to where it is. Don't give up on her. The medication may just be enough, and anyway, all things being equal, you'll probably have a relaxing summer and the meds will be able to take effect. So Annie, there's a strong likelihood you'll be all right. Don't write her epitaph yet, guys. Nothing's in stone."

Syrus sniffed, wiping the tears from his eyes. Kisara was right; it wasn't set in stone that Annie would die. Violet nodded at Kisara's explanation, even though a small part of her still blamed herself.

"Kisara's right, you guys. There's still hope," Alexis stated encouragingly.

"Good girl, Alexis," Kisara said. She looked at Darla and motioned her outside.

Darla followed Kisara outside and sighed sadly. "Why must it always be the children?"

Kisara sighed. "I wish I knew...Sy seems to be taking it okay and so is Violet..."

Darla nodded in agreement. "I think the fact that it's all truly up in the air at the moment is a little comforting for them."

"Yeah...I'm going to have Violet call her parents...she needs them...and...so do the other kids..."

"I understand. I'll spend some time with Syrus and Annie until she calls her parents. Do you want me to bring Violet out here?"

"Yeah...and let Bastion come out with her..."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Darla went into the room and motioned for Violet and Bastion to come outside. "Sweetie, Kisara wants you to call your parents, alright?" Violet blinked and nodded, the two teens going out into the hallway with Darla.

Bastion followed Violet. "Darling...would it be all right if I spoke with your mum and dad?" he asked as the doctors left them out in the hall.

Violet nodded. "Yeah. That'd probably be a good idea. Just don't tell them that we're engaged yet. I want it to be a surprise for when we go there."

"Are you sure? I asked without asking their permission...Do you think your father would be okay with the surprise?"

Violet placed her hands on her hips and pouted. "Well, I'm a big girl now. He can either like it and be proud or not like it and just deal with it. Besides, I have mom on my side."

"It's not that, darling... It's just...I don't particularly want us to deal with an enraged father, especially since your last boyfriend was a...well...you know," Bastion answered.

Violet smiled. "Oh, I see. Well, as long as you don't do anything suggestive then it'll be okay. Though, brace yourself for my brother. He loves messing with my friends, so he'll really get on your nerves."

"So...shall we tell them?" Bastion looked shy. "And knowing Mum and Dad...they'll slip..."

Violet sighed. "I guess it would be safer if we told them now than your parents telling them." She glanced at Bastion and noticed his expression, causing her to grin. "Bastion-baby...are you...too SHY to tell them?"

"Umm...no, darling...I actually hoped to speak with your father about this...you start with them, though...I love you so much, darling..." And he kissed her softly, smiling.

Violet blushed and deepened the kiss before pulling away. "All right. But, uh, did I ever mention that I don't have a cell phone?" she asked, sweat-dropping.

Bastion smiled. "Here, darling. I actually remembered to bring mine today." He handed it to her. "I can be rather absentminded...like Dad."

"You don't know the half of it, Bastion-baby. If anyone has an absent-minded family, it's me." Violet replied as she dialed the phone number. It rang for a few seconds, and was then answered by her mother.

"Hello, Haverbrook residence. Barbara Haverbrook speaking."

Violet grinned. "Hi, Mom! Guess who!!"

"Violet? What took you so long to call us??"

Violet sweat-dropped. "Well, uh, you see, Mom… I kind of forgot. Again."

She could hear her mother sigh on the other end. "Oh, Violet, I swear...sometimes I wonder about that memory of yours. You…"

Suddenly, a voice broke in from the background. "Momma! Is that sissa you're talking to??" questioned a childish voice.

"Haylee! Hi, little sis!!" Barbara had pushed the speaker phone button, and so had Violet.

"Hi, sissa! I miss you lots!!"

Bastion could hear a little of the conversation and smiled hearing the mysterious Haylee. An only child, he envied that Violet had a sister.

Violet smiled and moved closer to Bastion. "Hey Mom, sis, guess who's standing with me! It's Bastion!! Say hi, Bastion!" she coaxed happily.

"Um... hello, Mrs. Haverbrook, and hello...Haylee, was it?"

"Hello, Bastion. It's nice to finally talk to you!" greeted Barbara.

"Yeah, yeah! Haylee!! My name's Haylee, sissa's boyfriend!" Haylee called as Violet giggled.

"Oh, Bastion, are you British? That accent," asked Barbara. Violet sweat-dropped.

"Part British, actually, Mrs. Haverbrook. My dad has dual citizenship and so do I...I spent my first year in the UK and Dad has the accent and I've spent time with my Gran there," he explained.

"Oh, I see now. And do call me Barbara, Bastion. I wish Alan and Bobby could talk with you. But Alan's at work still and Bobby hasn't come in from Florida yet."

Violet pouted. "He'd better be there by the time Bastion-baby and I come! I don't care if he has cars to detail!! Family comes first."

"All right, then, Barbara...Well...shall we tell her, darling?" Bastion asked, looking at his love.

"Tell me what?" Barbara asked.

Violet grinned excitedly. "Mom, Bastion proposed to me this morning. And...I SAID YES!! WE'RE ENGAGED!!" she squealed, as quietly as possible. A crashing sound could be heard on the other end, obviously having been the phone.

Haylee picked it up. "Sissa, Sissa! Momma dropped the telephone!! And her mouth won't close!"

"Haylee, is your mother all right?" Bastion asked, worried now, thinking of a small girl alone with a fainted mother.

"Yup, she's moving again." Haylee gave the phone to her still-shocked mother.

"I'm all right...don't worry. But, Violet, did I hear you correctly?" she asked breathlessly.

"I'm terribly sorry, Barbara...I realize I did this in a rather backward way..." Bastion said, chagrined. "I should've asked you and your husband for permission first. I do hope your husband isn't frightfully angry with me..."

"Oh, don't worry, honey. Alan'll be just fine. He may be a little rough on you when you get here at first, but that's just to test you in a way. We're a little protective after what happened, even though I know you're a good guy."

"I understand perfectly...Should that thing ever try laying a hand on Violet again, I assure you, Barbara, that he will greatly regret it." Bastion said this with a deadly calm in his voice.

Barbara sighed. "I'm glad to hear that, Bastion. Unfortunately, Mike sort of...disappeared. He dropped out a few months after Violet left for Duel Academy, and we haven't seen him around here ever since. There are rumors that he spends all of his time in the city, now." Violet sighed; at least he wouldn't be in her town.

"I'll be on the lookout when we come to Ohio...I am looking forward to meeting all of you...Violet's told me so much...I'm an only child, you see...I just hope Mum and Dad also get the opportunity to meet you soon. Could we perhaps arrange a phone call?"

"Of course. The best time would be a Sunday. Alan doesn't work that day, and Bobby should be here by then. I just know he and Haylee are going to love you, Bastion. If either of the boys mess with you, it's all in good fun. Besides, Violet will get revenge for you, she always managed to do so in the past," explained Barbara. Violet grinned, remembering the horrors she'd put her father and brother through for payback.

"Wonderful! Mum and Dad don't work on Sunday! I'll tell them this evening, Barbara... Also, I'm afraid we have a bit of a problem here. I realize Kisara must have told you earlier today..."

"If you mean about the girls, then yes. She explained Annie's heart condition a little and, sweetie, she told me about your problem as well. Violet, honey, just remember that all of that happened in the past. Right now you have good friends and a wonderful fiancé."

Violet sighed. "I know, Mom..."

"I worship the ground she walks on, Barbara," Bastion said.

Violet blinked, and Barbara laughed. "Oh, now I know our family will love you, Bastion. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about before I have to get off? I need to start on dinner."

Bastion looked at Violet's expression... "Oh, dear...did I...say something wrong?"

Violet giggled, hugging Bastion's arm with her free one. "No, of course not! That was just a...uh, weird way to put it," she sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly.

"Oh...I just meant...I adore you, darling...Have we about covered everything?"

Violet thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers. "Oh yeah! Mom, when Bobby gets there, tell him that he's going to pay for giving me that fake card!!"

"Oh my, it was fake? That'd be just like Bobby. Well, I'll be sure to tell him, honey. Goodbye you two!" Barbara then hung up.

"Fake card?" Bastion asked curiously as they walked back to the room.

She sighed. "Before I left, Bobby gave me a Duel Monsters card as a going-away present. He said it was a rare alien monster I had missed, and it looked real enough. But when I went to play it in my first duel at the academy..." Violet waved her arms, imitating sparks. "It overloaded the whole duel disk! The card was fake, and had a chip in it to make the duel disk basically explode with smoke. Talk about embarrassing..."

"Oh, my...your brother...likes pranks? Goodness..." Bastion said.

"Ah, so you've heard about her brother, Bobby!" Annie grinned.

Violet's eye twitched, remembering the numerous pranks. "Oh, don't even get me started! When I was eight, he put TOOTHPASTE in my OREOS. TOOTHPASTE!!"

Jaden started cracking up. "Sweet! Man, oh man, I have to add that to my list! LOOK OUT, DR. CROWLER!! AND ANYBODY ELSE!" he shouted triumphantly.

Zane sighed. "Oh, lord..."

"I have a feeling Bobby and Jaden would get along well together. Too well," stated Alexis.

Violet sighed. "Well, if you want to learn a thing or two about pranking, my family's the one to turn to. My dad once let loose a box of mice in my room. You try keeping your cool when a dozen rodents surround you! But, I always get them back...eventually." She grinned at this.

Annie noticed the manic gleam in Jaden's eye. "Oh, boy...Violet...we're giving him ideas...and I thought what I did was nuts..."

"Hey, as long as he sticks to using them on Dr. Crowler and stuck-up Obelisks, I don't mind. Besides, that's who we used them on," replied Violet, smirking.

Alexis blinked in surprise. "Wait, you mean it was you guys who caused all those pranks?"

"Well," Annie admitted, thankful that the adults had now chosen to leave them in peace, "I sort of snuck into Dr. Crowler's room...he wears bunny slippers..."

Chazz, feeling a bit better now that his pain medication had really kicked in, sat up. "Are you kidding me? You went into his room? Are you crazy?"

"Like a fox," Annie grinned.

Violet giggled. "And that's not all. Remember that day he came to class with green hair?"

Atticus grinned. "You bet!"

"Well, let's just say a little green hair dye in the shampoo bottle goes a long way."

"You did that?" Annie asked, cracking up. "I thought he was going to kill someone..." Soon the kids were talking about pranks they did or wanted to do to Duel Academy's infamous vice-principal.

"Well, I did a classic one myself. Whoopee cushion on the chair," stated Atticus, grinning.

Alexis smirked. "Well, one time I may have sneaked into his room and recorded him singing in the shower. Let me just say this, he sings worse than..." She stopped herself from saying "Atticus," instead saying, "William Hung."

Syrus laughed. "Well, I wanted to try taking a pair of his underwear and hanging it from the flagpole. But...it would have been easier if I was in Obelisk."

"Well," Zane admitted, "little bro, we think alike...and I'm glad Mom and the others are out right now, because there is no way on God's green Earth that I'd admit doing this while Mom or Dad were in the room..."

Everyone looked at Zane. He was actually looking mischievous.

Violet grinned. "Oh, looks like Dr. Crowler's favorite student has a mischievous side after all. So, what'd you do?"

"Okay...I snuck into his room and replaced his boxer shorts..."

Syrus gasped. "With what?!"

Zane grinned. "Lacy boy shorts..."

That did it. Everyone in the room burst out laughing, Violet needing to sit down for fear of falling over. "I can't believe you did that, Zane!" Alexis gasped out through her laughter.

Annie was laughing very hard. "OH MY GOSH! Zane, how did you do it?"

"I had laundry duty one day and checked out his size and ordered several pairs of boy shorts on Amazon..."

"Dude, you must've had a death wish!" Chazz grinned, laughing and then wincing.

"Well played!" Bastion crowed. "Funny though; I wondered if he wore women's undergarments. Not seriously, though."

Violet snickered and got up to hug Bastion. "Nice one, Bastion-baby! Couldn't have said it better myself!! That reminds me...you guys know that the first class I was in with him, after he called on me to answer a question I said 'ma'am'??"

"I think I heard someone call him 'Mrs.' when I took my first exam," Jaden said.

"Oh, yeah..." Annie said. "I have an idea for a movie we should watch tonight, by the way..."

"Really? What movie, Annie??" Violet asked curiously.

Annie had a very naughty look in her eyes. "'Mrs. Doubtfire...'"

Violet blinked. "Never seen it...or heard of it."

Annie's jaw dropped. "You...haven't heard of that one? Violet...it's all about a guy who dresses in drag!" She continued, "It's a Robin Williams movie and it's hilarious, especially when the kids find out that their nanny is their dad dressed like an old lady!"

Violet shrugged. "Sounds good to me. We can watch anything."

"Okay...Chazz, your call..." Annie said.

Chazz rubbed his side a bit. "Well, since my ribs are cracked anyway...let's go with 'Mrs. Doubtfire.'"

Annie smiled. "You bet..." She found the DVD and put it in the player.

The group settled down, and for the next two hours, they laughed as Robin Williams asked his brother to "make me a woman," and then as he paraded as an old lady. "Oh, that is 

priceless!" Jaden howled, laughing. "Now I know what to put over the PA system when Dr. Crowler walks into a room! 'Dude looks like a lady!' He sang it at the talent show."

"Jaden, we were all thinking that," Chazz said drily.

For a few minutes, the teens discussed how to pull off such a prank, involving Bastion and Annie's computer skills. And then Annie yawned, blushing. "Crud...only 6:30 and it's summer, and I'm tired?"

"You had a tough day. It's no wonder you're tired," replied Syrus, smiling tenderly.

Violet hopped to her feet and pumped a fist into the air. "I'm not tired at all! Full of energy!!" she exclaimed, grinning.

Chazz yawned, too. "Man, is it the pain medicine I'm on or something? Man, I hate being stuck in here...Bro, how did you handle being stuck in the infirmary all that time last year?"

Atticus smiled. "Well, I did have amnesia. It gave me a lot of time to think and try to remember." Alexis smiled, too, and hugged her brothers.

Jaden sighed. "Our first year and this last year...Man, I'm glad I was able to see my cards again and that Sartorius didn't do what he wanted to do..."

"Yeah..." Chazz added. "Why is it that weirdoes always come to us?"

"We must be a focal point for unusual paranormal and supernatural activity," Bastion said, while Annie nodded in agreement.

"Paranormal...supernatural...SUPER PARADOX!!" shouted Violet, grinning.

"Uh, Violet, was there a reason for that?" Alexis asked.

Violet thought for a moment. "No, not really. I just like those words! Kind of like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!"

"Uh...what?" Jaden asked Violet. And then he looked at Bastion and Annie. "Could you guys say that in English?"

Annie and Bastion looked at each other, and cracked up. "Okay...translated, that means we attract the weirdoes for some bizarre reason," Annie said.

"You know what I noticed?" asked Violet, sitting back down.

"What??" Syrus asked.

"Bizarre and bazaar sound the same. Don't they?" Syrus sweat-dropped. He thought that she was going to point out something else important, but then this was Violet.

Annie started laughing, as did Chazz. "Violet, what would we do without you?" Annie asked, getting her best friend to come over and hug her.

"I don't know...Mexico?" Violet asked, confused. She continued to hug her friend, but took Annie's question literally.

"Uh, Violet, I think that was a rhetorical question." Alexis explained, sweat-dropping.

Violet blinked. "Oh...what's that?" she asked.

Annie sighed, still hugging her best friend. "We need you, silly! Rhetorical means it's a question that doesn't need to be answered, but since you asked...we wouldn't be the same!"

"Hear, hear!" Bastion said.

Violet straightened, a broad grin on her face. "Ah, my adoring fans! Lost without me!!" she joked, giggling.

Alexis sighed. "It wouldn't be the same if any of us wasn't here."

_And that's where we end part one! Please read and review! Thank you!_


	40. Past Pranksters Part II

Chapter XL: Past Pranksters Part II

_And now, part II of the chapter that originally was a monster. Enjoy!_

_Authors' Note: We make fun of certain yaoi pairings in this chapter as the boys are obviously NOT GAY in this story. It's all in good fun as 15animefreak15 is a yaoi fan._

_**Usual legal stuff: We don't own what we don't own. We own what we own. Thank you.**_

"Oh my...I just remembered! We haven't called to give Hassleberry an update! We called and let him know about you this morning, Chazz!" Bastion realized with a start.

"Hey, did he win that fight?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah, and it was sweetness!" Jaden crowed.

"Yup. Now Annie and I are the only ones not engaged," Syrus added.

Alexis grinned. "You'll get engaged when the time is right, Syrus."

Annie blushed and then she asked, "What are our dinner plans tonight? Is everyone going home tonight?"

Violet grinned mischievously. "Yeah, I want to cook a special dinner tonight to celebrate mine and Bastion-baby's engagement."

Alexis nodded. "I was going to ask Jaden if I could finally stay over at his house. I just...hadn't gotten to it exactly." She blushed a little and sweat-dropped.

Jaden blushed. "Well...I was going to ask you over tonight, but...then everything happened and...well...man...So you want to?"

"Yeah, Jaden. It'll be nice staying over at your place," Alexis replied, smiling.

"Violet, darling...you amaze me...and I'd be honored," Bastion said to his fiancée.

"Great! You'll finally get to taste my cooking!!" Violet cheered happily.

"Um..." Chazz looked thoughtful and nervous. He glanced at his brother and sister.

Atticus smiled. "Don't worry, little bro. I'll ask if I can stay overnight with you. All right?"

Chazz looked at his brother. "You'd stay with me? Really?"

"Of course! What're big brothers for??" he replied, pulling Chazz into a brotherly headlock.

"Ouch!" Chazz yelped as his brother, in his enthusiasm, pulled at a very tender spot.

Atticus blinked and sweat-dropped, releasing his brother. "Whoops. Sorry, little bro. You okay?"

"Yeah...just...save the headlocks until Mom or the other doctors say it's okay," Chazz groaned, sinking back into his pillows.

Annie smiled. "If Bobby were here, he'd probably have done the same to me..."

"Tch. My Bobby would have poked every new sensitive spot I had if I was in Chazzy's condition. Stupid big brothers," Violet grumbled, pouting.

"I have a big brother, and he may not be the brightest, but I'm glad I have him..." Chazz said, smiling tiredly.

Annie smiled. "Me, too..."

And then Zane asked, "Off the subject...but has anyone pranked Chancellor Shepherd or the new teacher from France?"

"Chancellor Shepherd's too nice. Now Bonaparte..."began Violet, thinking. She sighed. "I don't like pranking people I can't understand."

Atticus grinned. "Eh, he's a nice guy if you know his language."

Annie looked thoughtful. "Bonaparte's unusual...I heard he's got a kid...but I haven't been able to find out a lot about him..."

"You, Annie?" Bastion asked in surprise.

"Yeah...I tried Googling him but I haven't found out a lot..."

"Googling's in the past. Now I use Wikipedia to find all I need to!" stated Violet, grinning.

Syrus blinked. "But...isn't the information on Wikipedia false..?"

"CONSPIRACY THEORY!!" interrupted Violet.

"Violet...not everything on Wikipedia is true. Remember that entry that said Joey Wheeler and Seto Kaiba were actually gay lovers?" Annie asked, remembering.

Violet blinked, then snickered. "Now that was a good one! I actually believed it at first..."

Alexis's jaw dropped. "You believed that?!"

"Man, Violet, that would be as far-fetched as me and Chazz being into each other!" Jaden said, looking horrified.

Chazz looked at Jaden and groaned, "Not in a million years..."

An evil grin appeared on Violet's face. "Well...I may have written a list of cute guy couples last year and posted it online..."

The guys looked at Violet, suddenly nervous. "Violet darling...did you put me with Jaden?!" Bastion asked, having actually read the list.

Violet's evil grin turned into a mask of innocence. One could almost see the halo above her head. "Maybe...I called it Tutorshipping!"

"Oh lord," Zane groaned again.

Violet pointed a finger at Zane. "And I paired you, Zaney with Atty! Friendshipping!!" She giggled.

"I LIKE GIRLS!" the boys both shouted.

Violet sweat-dropped. "Sorry! I was bored!! And when I get bored, I do random things..." She pouted and twiddled her thumbs guiltily.

"It's okay, Violet..." Annie soothed. "We all know you did it in good fun…unlike Mary Sue Fofesca."

"Well...I think Mary Sue wrote another list...an even weirder one...that paired the Kaiba brothers and Zane and Sy," Jaden said, looking like he was about to barf.

"WHAT?" Zane yelped.

"And Atticus and Alexis," Jaden added, looking very green.

Violet grimaced. "Hey, I might get bored sometimes, but even I'M not THAT twisted!" Syrus and Alexis both looked like they might lose their lunches.

"We all know that, Violet. That is just sick!" Annie said.

"Yeah...that's just wrong," Chazz said.

Violet glanced at the clock, it was seven now. "Well, if I'm going to make that dinner, we should probably get going. We'll be back first thing tomorrow, though! Right, Bastion-baby?" she asked, grinning.

"All right, darling...Someone call the Hassleberrys..."

"We will, Bastion...Have fun, you two," Annie called after them.

"Oh, we will!" called Violet. The evil grin returned, and she jumped onto Bastion's back. "Piggy-back ride for your food, Bastion-baby! Onward!!"

"Oh...bugger," Bastion said, losing his balance and doing a face-plant.

Violet, of course, did a face-plant as well, though hers was a bit softer. "Uh, Bastion-baby? Usually, when you give someone a piggy-back, you're not supposed to fall over," came her muffled statement, face buried into his back. They had fallen in the doorway, in clear view of the others.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh, Annie? Promise never to do that to me..."

"Sy, if I tried that, I'd probably break your ribs," Annie said, also sweat-dropping. "I won't do that, I swear." Syrus sighed in relief.

Zane looked at the scene and started laughing. "Violet...I think you need to let him put you on his back!"

Jaden looked at the scene... "Lex? If you want a piggyback ride...just ask..."

Meanwhile, Violet peeled her face from Bastion's back, getting into a sitting position on top of him. "You think so? This way always worked when I wanted a ride from dad or Bobby." She seemed to have forgotten that she was still sitting on him.

"Um...darling...this is rather pleasant to have you sitting on me again," Bastion managed, wriggling so he was on his back, "but I'd like to get up so I can give you a proper piggyback ride..."

Violet blinked and looked down, finally realizing she was sitting on her fiancé. "Oh! Right!! My bad." She quickly got to her feet, grinning sheepishly.

"Uh, this has happened before?" Alexis asked curiously.

"Remember movie night, Alexis?" Annie asked, grinning.

"Oh, right! I forgot about that," the Obelisk Queen replied.

Meanwhile, Violet grabbed Bastion's hand and hauled him to his feet as if he'd been as light as Syrus. "All right, time to stick to your words, Bastion-baby!"

Bastion presented his back to her. "All right, trying this again..." He got her to wrap her arms around his neck and then she jumped up enough for him to place his hand to support her.

"Careful, Bastion!" Jaden yelled, grinning.

Alexis sighed and flicked Jaden on the head. "Jaden..." Atticus was snickering at his comment.

Violet rolled her eyes, turning around to stick her tongue out at the others. "Catch you guys later! Now, onward, Bastion-horsey! To the minivan, away!!" she shouted, pointing down the hallway.

"What'd I do?" Jaden asked, a little bewildered. Alexis just sighed again and shook her head, signaling that he should just forget about it.

"All right, giddy up, then," Bastion said.

"Sy?" Annie asked.

"Yeah, Annie?" Syrus replied.

"Um...we'll talk later..." Annie was blushing. "But...are you going home tonight?"

Syrus shook his head. "No way. I'm staying here, even if you'll have Chazz and Atty to keep you company." He wondered what she wanted to talk to him about.

"Okay...I just don't want you getting tired and then sick, Sy," Annie said shyly. "I don't want you down..."

"He won't go down, Annie...Zane and I'll make sure he doesn't!" Jaden said enthusiastically.

"And if we can't, our moms will," Zane added.

"Oh... We should really call Hassleberry before it gets too late there," Jaden remembered. And so, the group dialed. And the phone rang in Texas.

Rosa was busy setting the table for dinner with Josephina and Lily. "Ty-Ty! Can tú get that?" she called.

"Of course, darlin'!" Tyson called back. It was a late dinner, but a happy one. "Hello, Hassleberry residence, Tyson Hassleberry, the happiest guy in Texas, speakin'!"

"Tyson? That's your real first name?" Jaden yelped on the other line.

"Oh, howdy, Sarge!"

"What? Tyson is Hassleberry's real first name??" repeated Syrus, shocked.

Meanwhile, Rosa walked over to her new fiancé. "Who is it, Ty-Ty?"

"It's the Sarge! Hey, Jaden, what's up? How's Private Chazz?"

"He's doing better...he's awake for one thing, and I heard a doctor say he can go home tomorrow..."

"That's great! How's Private Annie?"

"Hassleberry..." Jaden's voice had worry and sadness in it.

"Sarge, could you turn on speakers if you have 'em?"

"Sure..." Jaden pressed the button on Alexis's cell phone.

Rosa smiled. "That is good to hear! Now, what about Senorita Annie?" In the hospital, Syrus frowned and turned his gaze to the floor.

"Just a sec, darlin'...Everybody, just so you all know...my name is Tyson...I've told people my first name's classified, but until just recently, I guess I didn't like it much. Anyway, hey, Private Annie, Private Chazz..."

"Hey, Tyson!" the two kids in the hospital beds shouted happily.

"So...how is everything?" Tyson asked as Rosa listened.

"Well...Annie, you'd better tell 'em," Jaden said softly.

Annie took a deep breath and squeezed her love's hand. Her eyes told him, 'Help me...I can't do this alone...' Syrus nodded, returning the squeeze and willing his strength into her.

"Rosa...Tyson...the news isn't as good as we hoped," Annie said. "And...I passed out again..."

Rosa frowned. "Oh no...What happened?"

Annie looked at Sy... "I have a heart condition and it's weakened me. It's been going on for years and it's only now that the symptoms have...gotten serious. What that means is...I am...at risk..."

"Private Annie...are you sayin'..?" Tyson couldn't say it.

Rosa grasped Tyson's free hand, eyes wide with worry. "Senorita Annie, you are not going to...die, are you?"

Anne Charlotte Hanson swallowed. "Kisara doesn't seem to think so and neither does the cardiologist, Rosa...but there is that potential...if the medication they put me on doesn't work or if I have more attacks, it may weaken me to the point I'm in danger..."

Rosa frowned and leaned against Tyson, wondering how such a good day could become so bad. "Senorita Annie...I..."

"It's not over, Rosa, not by a long shot," Annie said. "And...I'm not afraid...I guess..." She looked at her friends. "I knew this was a possibility when I went home after freshman year..."

Syrus blinked in surprise. "What do you mean, Annie?"

"Remember what I told you, Sy, about how my doctor said he'd have to run some tests? I checked on the Web then...Mom thought I was worrying too much...that or she didn't want to scare me..."

"Oh..." he mumbled, sighing.

"So...I'm not afraid if...that happens...but...I don't want to leave anybody..." Annie admitted, her eyes tearing up.

Syrus hugged her, feeling the same way. 'I don't want to lose you, Annie...' he thought.

"But...hey, this is a day for celebrating...Thanks to what happened this morning, Chazz is going to end up Atticus and Alexis's brother!" Annie said happily, trying to dispel the mood of the room. 'Is everyone trying to hold my funeral before I'm...gone?' she thought.

Rosa liked the change of subject as well. "Really? How??"

Alexis smiled. "Well, Seto and Kisara Kaiba are helping to take down Chazz's brothers. Jaden's dad is making a case so that mom and dad can gain legal custody of him."

"Yeah, and I think Kisara did something to wreck Slade Princeton's Senate run," Annie grinned. "She said something about calling some people...He's toast!" she grinned triumphantly.

"Ah, bien. Congratulations, Senor Chazz," replied Rosa, smiling.

"Yeah...the congrats should go to the Kaibas, though," Chazz said. "And Jaden's dad and my new dad... I just hope Slade and Jagger don't get really ugly...they...have a history of doing that..."

Rosa held up a fist and growled. "Senor Chazz, if they harm any of you, I will show them a thing o dos..." Her eyes were fiery, meaning she was serious.

"Me, too...they don't want to mess with me," Tyson said, his eyes briefly shifting to dinosaur mode.

"Hey...Tyson? I like your name," Jaden said.

"So do I," Zane said.

"Me, too..." Annie said.

"Me, also..." Chazz added.

"Yeah, better than Tyranno," added Syrus.

"It's cute," replied Alexis, smiling.

"Yeah, we all like it," finished Atticus, grinning.

Rosa grinned up at Tyson. "You see? I told you it was a good name," she told him in Spanish.

"Yeah...I guess so..." the newly-engaged young man said. "So what's next, everybody?"

"Well, I'm taking Alexis to my house tonight," Jaden said, "and Violet and Bastion left already. She's cooking him dinner!"

"It is bien that you are spending some quality time together. I hope that you enjoy yourselves," replied Rosa happily.

"Atticus and I are staying at the hospital to be with Annie and Chazz," added Syrus.

"Well, when we get back, we're going to have a huge party!" Tyson said.

"Sounds like fun! Hey, Tyson, are you and Rosa going to Spain?" Annie asked curiously.

Rosa sweat-dropped. She'd planned on inviting Tyson to her hometown at dinner, and here Annie had asked for her. "Eh..."

"Um...did I say something wrong?" Annie asked, face-faulting.

Rosa sighed. "No, no, Senorita Annie. I suppose asking him now is not so bad."

Tyson looked at his girlfriend in surprise. "Darlin'? Ask me what?"

Rosa turned towards Tyson. "If you wanted to come y visit Calientara...before we have to go back to la escuela..."

"I...I'd love to. Wow," Tyson said happily.

"Sorry if I ruined it, Rosa," Annie said, blushing deeply.

Rosa was so glad that he'd said yes, that she brushed off Annie's mistake and tackled Tyson onto the leather couch nearby. "Gracias, Ty-Ty! I just know that you will love it!!" she shouted, hugging him.

"MAN DOWN!" Tyson yelled happily. "It's okay, Private Annie!"

"Um...thanks?" Annie said.

"Oh, this is so SWEET!" Jaden yelled happily.

Alexis grinned. "It's a good thing he knows Spanish."

Rosa smiled and kissed Tyson squarely on the lips before pulling away again. "You can meet mi cinco hermanos, Juan, Jacobo, Bruno, Jesus y Horatio!!"

"Five brothers...Wow..." Chazz said.

"And she's the only girl? Man, no wonder you can beat us up, Rosa!" Jaden commented.

"Impressive..." Zane said.

"Yeah...you should see her in gym class," Annie said, grinning.

Rosa blushed a little and sweat-dropped. "It is customary in Calientara for a woman to have at least una hija. That way, one family can be joined with another family y so on," she explained in a bored way, gaining some enthusiasm when they mentioned her fighting skills. "I am the daughter of a bull fighter, the sister of three bull fighters, a wrestler y an...eh, artist." Rosa grinned sheepishly at this last job description. "He is the 'black sheep' of the family. Not muy popular with mi padre y mis hermanos."

"You say it like being an artist's a bad thing, Rosa..." Annie said. "The guys forget easily..."

Rosa sighed. "Papa believes that being an artist 'is not manly enough. Painting, sketching y sculpting is for women. He should be bull fighting, wrestling o some other strong profession!'" she explained, imitating her father.

"But it's the artisans that make the cool armor," Annie countered, smiling. "You need to be able to paint to do that. And one of the guys from Zane's class got a job at Industrial Illusions because of his artistic talents..."

Rosa shrugged. "It is useless trying to talk to mi padre. He is muy stubborn. It runs in mi familia."

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I think it runs in his family, too! He's pretty stubborn!"

"Private…it's true," Tyson also grinned sheepishly.

Annie started cracking up. "Oh, is it?"

"Affirmative, Private Annie, but I'm glad!" Tyson grinned.

"Tyson, Rosa, dinner!" Lily Hassleberry called.

"Ay, ay, ay. Lo siento, amigos, but we have to go. Have fun! Talk to you later!! Adios!" Rosa shouted into the phone before jumping off of Tyson.

"Bye, everybody! It's chow time!" Tyson grinned.

"See you!" everybody said.

The phone was hung up as the couple went to dinner, and things returned to normal back at Domino Children's. Before long, Scout, Darla and Jayda came to collect their children.

"Um...Mom, can Alexis sleep over tonight?" Jaden asked. "Of course, if it's okay with you, Scout..."

"Yes, it is... Alexis, why don't I go and get your pajamas and stuff, sweetie? Is there any set you'd like?" Scout asked her daughter.

"Yeah, the tank top and shorts combo. I don't want to get too warm," replied Alexis.

"And Mom, can I stay here with Chazz?" added Atticus.

"Of course, honey...Atticus, do you want me to bring your jammies? Would you like a special pair? And Chazz, I could probably find something for you, sweetie..."

"Nah, anything's fine with me, Mom," Atticus grinned.

"Okay, then. I'll be back soon," Scout said, getting ready to leave.

"Jaden, I straightened your room up...It was okay when you left in the fall, but it needed dusting," Jayda told her son, smiling.

"Oh, thanks, Mom," Jaden said, blushing.

"We should get going, too, Jaden," added Alexis, taking his hand.

"Yeah...good night, guys..." Everyone hugged the hospitalized teens.

"Keep an eye on my brother, Atticus," Zane said.

Atticus grinned and saluted Zane. "Yes, sir!" Alexis sighed, and the small group that was leaving left the room.

"You guys want to watch a movie?" Annie asked.

"I'm game..." Chazz said.

"Sure!" replied Atticus excitedly.

"I'm fine with it, Annie." Syrus added, smiling. And so, the Rhodes brothers and the young couple settled in and watched _Batman Forever._

_So the evening ends peacefully for our kids in the hospital and the rest of the group is going home. In the next installation, Bastion has dinner with Violet and Alexis goes to the Yukis for the first time. Next time, "Dinner and...What?!" Until next time, read and review! We thank you!_


	41. Dinner andWHAT!

Chapter XLI: Dinner and…WHAT?!

_Hello again, faithful readers. Before we begin this next chapter, first we would like to acknowledge new reviewer DancingKirby's point that the teen relationships here are rather unusual. They are…but then again this is anything but normal circumstances. And let's face it…these kids are anything but normal. So we acknowledge things that are a bit unusual. Thank you! Anyway, we thank all of you for your reviews and are glad you seem to like our OCs._

_Last time, our group confessed to pulling pranks on Dr. Crowler, including Zane. Yes…Zane. It's the quiet ones that are almost never suspected. And so Chazz, Atticus, Syrus and Annie settle in at the hospital and the rest of the gang goes home. So what will happen next?_

_WARNINGS: Tastefully done nude scene. Nothing really happens, except maybe some hilarity. Further, things might happen that seem a little OOC, but we hope you enjoy the chapter anyway._

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. We just own our OCs, non-established characters, our version of the Yugi-verse, and our interpretations. Thank you.**_

As the hospital group settled in, at the Misawa household, Bastion called into the kitchen, "Violet darling, are you sure you don't need help?"

A crashing noise came from the kitchen, then a few moments later Violet poked her head around the doorway. She had on a chef's hat and apron she had gotten when she went to cooking school back home, a splotch of some mysterious substance staining her cheek. "I'm fine, Bastion-baby! It's almost ready!!" she replied happily before returning to the kitchen. Something went "splat" a few seconds later.

"Violet love, are you all right?" Bastion called again.

"Just fine, Bastion-baby! Don't worry!!" she replied cheerfully. Finally, Violet walked into the dining room, holding two plates covered by napkins to conceal their contents. "It's ready, Bastion-baby! I hope you like it..." She set the plates on the table and sat down, then pulled off the napkins. On the plate was grilled chicken, fried rice, and some kind of sauce over both.

"Oh, my...darling, you...make me feel like a king...I just hope..." Bastion blushed.

Violet blinked. "What? You don't like chicken?? Or rice?" she asked worriedly.

"I love them. I just hope I can make you feel like a queen, darling..."

She grinned. "Oh, Bastion-baby, you don't need to! I'm just glad that you like me for me!! Though...if you wouldn't mind helping me clean the kitchen after we're done? It got kind of messy." She sweat-dropped. That was a HUGE understatement. At the moment, the kitchen looked as if a pack of wild elephants had stampeded through it.

"Of course, darling...Actually, I'll clean the whole thing, since you went to all the trouble of cooking the dinner," Bastion said. "Glad Mum and Dad left us alone and went out for a romantic dinner for two themselves..."

"Hooray for Bastion-baby!" Violet cheered before digging into her food.

Bastion took a bite. "This is sublime. Violet, you are amazing."

Violet blushed. "If there are two things I'm good at, it would be dueling and cooking."

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

In another part of town, Jayda Yuki opened the door of her red 2014 Subaru and let Jaden and Alexis out. "Welcome to our home, Alexis," Jayda said happily. "C'mon in and make yourself comfortable."

Alexis smiled. "Thanks, Jayda. It's a nice house."

They went in and Jaden pulled off his sneakers at the door. "You can go in stocking feet, Lex."

"All right." She took off her shoes and followed Jaden into the living room.

He helped her sit down on a very comfortable couch. "Um...this is the first time in a long time I've had a friend here...and I've never had a girlfriend here," Jaden said, flushing a little.

"Jaden, Alexis, I'm fixing dinner! And your dad will be home in an hour!" Jayda yelled from the kitchen.

Alexis blushed a little as well. "I've never been over to a fiancé's house," she stated, trying to joke a little.

"Yeah...that's something," Jaden said. "Um...do you want to see my room, Lex?" 'Oh, that sounded lame!' he thought.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Uh, sure. I'd love to, Jaden."

"Mom! We're going to my room!" Jaden yelled.

"Leave the door open, then, sweetie!" she yelled back.

Alexis's blush intensified. "Jaden, she doesn't think that we would..." she whispered as they walked up the stairs.

Jaden froze. He hadn't thought of anything like that. "Um...huh? Oh my gosh, Mom! We're not doing anything!" he shouted. Luckily, they reached his room, so their attention was drawn to that rather than the previous subject. "Well, not too much here," he said. The room had simple gray carpet and a full-size bed with a red blanket. The walls had posters of various Duel Monsters and champs of the game, and there was a desk with a computer.

Alexis smiled. "I like it. It matches your personality, Jaden."

"You haven't seen my game room, though! C'mon!" Jaden led her to what looked like a walk-in closet, but inside were toys and different games, including a TV with a game console hooked up to it.

She blinked. "Wow, Jaden. I bet everyone would love to meet up here."

"Maybe," Jaden said. He walked over and picked up his old stuffed Kuriboh plush toy.

"Aw! He's adorable, Jaden!!" Alexis said happily, brushing some of the fluff on the plush toy.

"I've had him since I was really little...But I haven't had to sleep with him since I was eight and had bad nightmares," Jaden said.

She nodded. "We all grow out of our toys at some time, Jaden. Because eventually, we know we'll find a living companion to love." Alexis leaned over to kiss Jaden passionately. Jaden again relaxed into the kiss, but this time, drew his fiancée a bit deeper. Alexis was glad that he'd done that, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

'Oh, man, this is better than dueling,' Jaden thought, losing himself. He gently put his arms around her.

"Jaden, Alexis, Jayda wanted me to come and tell you that dinner is...ready. Um, am I interrupting?" Hisoka had gotten home early from work, and now stood nervously in the doorway.

Jaden broke the kiss. "Oh...um...hi, Dad...Uh..." Between the kissing and being discovered, the teen duelist was bright red.

Alexis was just as red, gaze turned to the floor in embarrassment. "Well, uh, I'll see you downstairs, then," Hisoka stated, flushing and quickly leaving.

"Wow...Dad's timing is amazing...That was wonderful, though," Jaden admitted.

Alexis nodded. "Well, right now we'd better get downstairs. But...if you want to, we can do it again later..." She blushed again.

"Okay," Jaden said, his color going back to normal. "Yeah, if we don't get downstairs, Mom'll come up next..." They got to the table where Hisoka and Jayda were chatting. "Hey, Mom," Jaden said casually as he helped Alexis into her chair.

"Hi, Jaden..." She looked at him, smiling.

Hisoka was smiling as well. "I have great news, you two. I believe that I can make a successful case against the Princeton brothers so that the Rhodes family can gain legal custody of Chazz," he explained happily.

"Yay, Dad!" Jaden said happily.

"Yeah, sweetie, and with what they did this morning, doesn't that give you the edge in the case, honey?" Jayda asked her husband.

Hisoka nodded. "Yes, that definitely didn't help their side. We have evidence of the abuse at Duel Academy and from this morning, so that's two counts against them. With any luck, it'll be a hands-down win. All we need to do is wait until Chazz is ready to testify in court."

Alexis smiled. "I think he's allowed out of the hospital tomorrow."

"That depends on what Dr. Keirev says, Alexis," Jayda said.

"Huh, Mom?" Jaden asked, puzzled.

"Dr. Keirev took over since there's a custody dispute and I'm directly involved, Jay..."

"Oh..."

"So then, has anything else happened or is anything going to happen tomorrow?" Hisoka asked curiously.

Alexis thought for a moment. "Well, we're not the only ones engaged. Violet and Bastion and Rosa and Tyson are, too."

"Oh, my...well, this is...Tyson?"

"Oh, that's Hassleberry, Mom, the guy that came at the start of this year...He never told us his real first name until now," Jaden explained quickly.

"Well, this is something to celebrate! I'll make the Yuki Dessert Special!" Jayda grinned with the same enthusiasm her son had.

Alexis blinked. "'Yuki Dessert Special'? Sounds kind of like the 'Rhodes Lunch Special,'" the teen girl grinned.

"Well, we make our own sundaes!" Jaden said. "I've just never had anybody to do it with, except Mom and Dad..."

She grinned. "Sounds great!"

Hisoka smiled and nodded. "So then, is there anything else?"

Again, Alexis thought for a moment. "Well...Tyson's going to Spain to visit Rosa's hometown...Oh! And, uh, Violet has to see a counselor tomorrow, not to mention Annie's condition," she frowned.

"Ah, Kisara got that set up...Good," Jayda said. "And we've just got to hope and pray Annie's going to be okay...I think they've caught it in time..."

Alexis nodded. "So much has happened in the past week...and soon, the others will be leaving Domino for the remainder of vacation. Annie and Syrus are going to Seattle, and Violet and Bastion are going to Cleveland."

"Yeah...and we thought school was nuts," Jaden said.

"Chancellor Shepherd's kept us posted, honey," Jayda said.

"It kind of makes me worry...what's going to happen next year? I mean, it will be our last," added Alexis.

"Maybe nothing'll happen...knock on wood," mother and son said together, knocking on the wood table.

Alexis blinked. "Uh...what?"

Jayda and Jaden looked at each other and started laughing. "You know, Lex, knock on wood," Jaden said. "It's to ward off bad luck."

"Oh...well, you learn something new every day," she replied.

"Some of those traditions go back in my family for generations," Jayda said. "Has Jaden mentioned he's got the luck of the Irish in his blood?"

"No...he's Irish??"

"Oh, didn't I mention that? Mom's part Irish and other things," Jaden remarked

"My maiden name was Shaunnessey..."

Alexis sweat-dropped. 'What a long last name. I can't imagine what it was like for her in school,' she thought.

Hisoka smiled. "It was a hard proposal, but I managed to say her last name correctly. Right, Sugar Jay?"

"He did...my son, however, got off easy," Jayda smiled and ruffled her son's hair.

"Mom!" Jaden said, laughing.

Alexis laughed lightly. They'd all finished their dinner, so it was time for the "Yuki Dessert Special."

"Okay, Jaden, Hisoka, let's go get the toppings and the ice cream!"

"Okay, Mom!"

Hisoka nodded, and the three went into the kitchen. He pulled out the Neapolitan ice cream they always bought since it had three flavors. Jaden grabbed chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch and blueberry syrup, and the kind of chocolate that hardens on contact with the ice cream. Jayda got out sprinkles, peanuts, almonds, maraschino cherries and whipped cream.

The three Yukis went back into the dining room, placing the items on the table. Hisoka had also been sure to grab some bowls, spoons, and napkins on the way back. Alexis' jaw dropped. "That's a lot of toppings..."

"Go nuts, Lex! Like you and your brothers made sandwiches, we'll make sundaes that boggle the mind!" Jaden said cheerfully.

"Hmm...sounds like we have similarities!" Jayda grinned.

Alexis giggled and grabbed a bowl, taking some of each flavored ice cream. She then poured on chocolate syrup, butterscotch, the hardening chocolate, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries. Hisoka went with simple vanilla ice cream, strawberry syrup, peanuts, and almonds. Jayda did the same as her husband, while Jaden made a sundae with chocolate ice cream, peanuts, the hardening chocolate, whipped cream and a cherry.

"Yeah, I've missed this," he said happily.

Alexis took a bite of her ice cream and smiled. "Yeah, this is great! It's been a while since I had anything this sweet." Hisoka nodded in agreement.

"We need to get a sundae bar at school!" Jaden said.

"Honey, remember how you get when you have too much sugar in a day..." Jayda warned him.

"Mom," Jaden frowned indignantly.

Alexis's eyes widened. "Not just Jaden. Violet and Atty, too. Oh, man...they'd destroy the school!"

Hisoka laughed. "Really? They're that bad??"

"What about Annie? From what she told us this afternoon…" Jaden pointed out.

"Maybe I shouldn't hear this," Jayda said, smiling.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Well, promise not to get mad or tell the other parents?"

"All right, I won't tell," answered Hisoka.

"We talked about pranking Doctor Crowler," Jaden admitted. "I think he's got a good sense of humor..."

Jayda grinned at that. "Yeah...he wasn't mad when you accidentally pantsed him, Jay..."

Alexis blinked in surprise. "Jaden...you pantsed Crowler??"

"It was an accident!" Jaden said, visibly traumatized. "That's one thing I'd never do on purpose! He was in front of me and I tripped and reached out and...oh, man that was wrong! SO WRONG!!"

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Uh, Jaden?" She pointed at his sundae. In his frantic explanation, Jaden had accidentally plopped his hand right down into his ice cream.

"So wrong," Jaden groaned. Then he realized. "Oh, great..."

Jayda smiled. "That was in his first year...I had to ask him what happened when he woke up screaming when he came home..."

"I saw his bony butt, Lex! That's worse than Atticus's Speedo incident!"

Alexis went pale, remembering said incident. "W-WORSE than Atty's Speedo incident?? IMPOSSIBLE!!"

"At least Atticus has a butt...Crowler has no butt! It's concave and bony..." Jaden had the same expression on his face as when he'd found out Blair Flannigan was a girl and 8 and a half.

Alexis sighed. "Why must our lives be so weird? Really!" She slammed her palm onto the table in aggravation, accidentally hitting the end of her sundae spoon. It catapulted a large clump of ice cream right onto her forehead, causing her eye to twitch irritably.

Jaden stood up and grabbed a napkin. "Here, let me help you, Lex..." In his haste to help, Jaden's hand brushed his ice cream dish and the spoon hit him in the face and the ice cream fell in his lap. Of course, the cold ice cream caused Jaden to jump, so that he crashed into Alexis and they both crashed to the ground. Not only that, but both sundae bowls had landed on them.

Hisoka and Jayda stared at their son and future daughter-in-law for a minute, and then started laughing. And Jayda pulled out her camera and took a picture.

Alexis blushed. "Uh...Jaden? You're kind of...on top of me, covered in ice cream..."

Jaden was stunned for a minute. Then he got a smile on his face. "So I am, Lex, so I am...We are so going to need showers...Oh, Mom, Dad, is the big Japanese style tub clean?"

"Yeah. Your mother told me that she cleaned it yesterday because she knew Alexis would be coming over sometime soon," explained Hisoka.

Alexis blinked. "Japanese...style...tub??"

"Yeah, it's kind of like the pools at Duel Academy, but a lot smaller..." Jaden explained. "You get clean in the shower and then you get in the hot tub and just sit and talk with your friend...Dad had it put in when he and Mom moved into this house. Thanks, Mom!"

"No problem, honey..."

"Oh...okay then. Uh, did you want the shower first?" she asked. Jaden was still on top of her.

Jaden realized it too. "Oh...sorry, Lex...we can go at the same time...there are two..."

At first, Alexis had thought that he meant in the same shower, and blushed. She was relieved when he said there were two and remembered that this was Jaden, after all. He wasn't ready for that. "Okay...and, you still have to get off of me, Jaden."

Jaden got off fast and then helped her up. "Go on, kids," Jayda said. "And enjoy! Jaden, I put the lavender scent in the tub so you'll relax!"

"Thanks, Mom!" Jaden said as he and Alexis left the room.

Alexis sighed. "This sort of thing always seems to happen to us, huh?" she asked as they went upstairs.

Jaden grinned. "Funny, I don't remember us getting soaked in ice cream at Duel Academy..."

Alexis sweat-dropped. "I meant crazy stuff like this, Jaden. Not literally ice cream." They had reached the two bathrooms, and she waved before going into one.

Jaden flashed her a thumbs-up before heading into his shower. He stripped and took a lot of time cleaning himself off before heading to the tub room. 'I've got to look good...and be really clean,' he thought. Finally, he was and got out of the shower. He wrapped the towel firmly 

around his waist and then headed to his room and got a pair of swim trunks on. Then he headed to the tub.

Alexis sighed contentedly as the water ran over her body, relaxing her tense muscles. She quickly washed the ice cream off, then got out of the shower. Alexis wrapped a towel around herself, then blushed. "Oh, no. I don't have a bathing suit!" she muttered, blushing.

"Alexis?" Jayda called from outside the bathroom.

"Uh, Jayda, I...don't have a bathing suit for the tub," she called through the door, embarrassed.

"Don't worry, honey, I've got you covered! Open the door a crack!"

Alexis did so, poking her head around the door.

Jayda was holding a two-piece bathing suit. "Honey, I hope you don't mind a two-piece. This should fit you..."

Alexis smiled. "Thanks, Jayda." She took the bathing suit and closed the door, quickly changing into it. A few moments later she walked back out into the hallway, wearing the navy blue two-piece.

"Oh, very nice," Jayda said when she came out. "It's an older suit...I'd almost forgotten I had it. I haven't used it since before I was pregnant with Jaden..."

Alexis blushed a little. "Thanks again, Jayda. I should probably go meet Jaden before he gets lonely..." So, she went to the room that the tub was in, walking over to secretly stand behind Jaden. Alexis grinned, then ran her fingers lightly up his back to tickle him.

"OH GEEZ!" Jaden jumped about a foot in the air, freaked out, then turned around. "Lex, you scared me...Oh, wow...you look gorgeous," he said admiringly.

Alexis laughed softly, then blushed at the compliment. "Thanks, Jaden. You look good, too," she replied, taking in his revealed slim and slightly muscular figure. She then climbed into the tub, letting out a sigh of contentment.

Jaden climbed in too. "Ah...it's so warm in here...I'm not used to having the suit on, though." That slipped out before he thought and he blushed.

Alexis blushed and glanced over at him. "What exactly do you mean, Jaden?"

"Oh, crud," Jaden said. "Alexis...umm...the tradition is that you get in...not wearing anything..." He was now flame red, realizing just how what he said could be interpreted.

Her face had turned much the same color as she glued her eyes onto the water. "Oh...uh..."

"I...uh...I'm sorry, Lex...the thing about the suit slipped out before I thought...I mean...Oh, man," Jaden stammered, much like Syrus would do. He'd said something that could be interpreted badly and he expected her to be furious.

Alexis sighed and in one swift motion was beside Jaden, her lips pressed against his. She stayed there for a moment, before pulling away, face red from the kiss and heat of the water. "It's fine, Jaden. We're wearing suits...unless you think we should follow the traditional way..."

Jaden flushed, if it was possible, even more deeply at her suggestion. "I...well...I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable...you know? We're engaged, but..." 'I wish I were dueling! That would be so much easier!' he thought. He was conflicted because he didn't want Alexis to feel like he was just getting a look at her; however, he did want to see what she looked like.

Alexis sighed gently. "We would have to take this step sooner or later. Might as well be now, right?" She turned around so that her back was facing him, and unhooked the top of the two-piece.

Jaden shook a little. "Lex, are you sure you want to? Because...I don't want to pressure you..." His voice cracked.

"Jaden, you haven't asked me to do this. You didn't purposefully mention it as a suggestion. This is my own decision, unless you're uncomfortable with it." She turned her head, looking back at him out of the corner of her eye.

Jaden swallowed. "I'm...okay...if you're okay...Here goes..." He deftly removed his own trunks and set them on the tile above the sunken tub.

Alexis smiled and removed the top, then got to work slipping off her bottoms. Once both pieces were off, she set them on the tile next to Jaden's trunks. A little nervous at first, Alexis sunk down to her neck before turning around.

Jaden met her eyes, forcing himself to not look below her neck. "This is...different," he said.

Alexis blushed. "Yeah...uh..." Her blush intensified as she went to sit next to him, trying to keep her eyes on his chest or higher.

"You...want to look, don't you?" he asked, meeting her eyes. It was a simple question and he hoped she understood it as such.

Alexis' face got even redder. "I...well, like I said, we'd see each other like this...sometime, right? So...uh..."

"Yeah..." He laughed nervously. "I guess this is better than waiting until our wedding night, right? I mean...seeing each other...not...you know..."

"Yeah...uh, I have an idea. How about, on the count of three, we both look? That way, we can just do it and be comfortable again," she offered nervously.

"Um...Okay...Do we need to stand up?"

Alexis glanced at the surface of the water. Even though the tub was pretty deep, she could see the grains in the stone floor. "No...I think we could see fine through the water..." She took a deep breath. "All right, here we go. One...two...th-three."

Jaden made himself look down. And what he saw struck him dumb. 'Wow...' Finally, he was able to speak again. "Alexis...you look...gorgeous." She had a very nice body in his opinion. "I'm honored that you let me look..."

Alexis had looked a bit further down than Jaden, a blush coming to her face. 'Oh, wow...I mean...wow,' she thought, eyes wide. His compliment brought her back to her senses, and she locked eyes with him. "You're not too bad yourself, Jaden. Thanks..."

"Thank you," he said. "I saw everything...and you work out, don't you?"

"Yeah...a girl's got to keep up her figure, right?" She laughed a little, scooting closer to him.

"Yeah...I don't use the gym often. I do a lot of running, though," he admitted, also moving closer.

"Yeah, I know. Chumley and Syrus always complained that you didn't know how to walk." By now only a few inches separated them, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

Jaden swallowed again, but now that he'd seen her, it wasn't such a big deal that she'd made physical contact with him. He put his arm around her, gently. "Yeah...Chumley especially..."

Alexis sighed contentedly, closing her eyes. She wished this moment would last forever, just her and Jaden alone. Jaden, too, relaxed.

"Jaden, honey...Is everything all right in there?" Jayda called, coming into the room, little suspecting... "Oh my!"

"MOM! GEEZ!"

Alexis' eyes popped open, face turning a brighter red than Jaden's Slifer blazer. "Jayda! I, we, I mean...oh no..." She now wished that she could sink beneath the water and just disappear.

"Uh...Mom, this isn't what it looks like!"

Jayda looked stunned, and to make matters worse... "Honey, I'm going to be staying up a little later than-OH!!" Hisoka had stepped behind Jayda, catching the scene over her shoulder. Alexis groaned and started a staring contest with the floor of the tub.

"Oh, man! DAD!" Jaden yelled, wishing he could transport himself and Alexis out of there, or at least become invisible long enough to get out of that room.

"Uh...Hisoka...maybe we'd better..." Jayda said awkwardly.

"Uh, yes, we probably should," he stuttered. Hisoka quickly turned and walked back down the hallway.

'At least they're not staying,' Alexis thought, horribly embarrassed.

Jaden was extremely red as his mother retreated from the room. "Way to blow the moment, Mom and Dad," he muttered. "Sorry, Lex."

Alexis sighed and once more leaned against him comfortably. "It's okay...at least they didn't get mad or anything, right?"

"Yeah, but I know what's coming. They're going to talk to me about this...or both of us...separately..."

"I know...but, Jaden, I want to tell you now there's no one else I'd rather do that with then you..."

"Yeah...me, too...But...not yet..." he said, little knowing that his parents were just outside the bathroom door.

Alexis nodded. "Yeah...not until after we're actually married..."

Outside, Hisoka smiled. "I knew those kids had good heads on their shoulders, honey..."

"Yeah, Hisoka; we raised him right and he's got a girl who was too...We'll still talk to them, though...but we don't have to give them the talk; that would so not be sweet if we had to do that."

"Of course. They already know enough that we won't have to. And Jayda, did I ever tell you that you sound more and more like your son all the time?" Hisoka smiled.

"He got that from me, darling; maybe later...we can use the tub," she grinned, winking.

Even at his age, Hisoka became a little flustered. Jayda was just as energetic as her son, all right. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to take a break from my work..."

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

After a time, Jaden and Alexis exited the tub, getting on fluffy white bathrobes that were in the room. "Much better," Jaden said. "Well, we should get our pajamas on."

Alexis nodded. The two left the room and went back to Jaden's, where she grabbed the pair of pajamas Scout had gotten her.

Jaden pulled on his pajamas and got dressed. The pajamas in question had Winged Kuribohs all over them and the background was in red. "Umm...you look great," he said when she was dressed.

Alexis was wearing a bright orange tank top with a Cyber Tutu on the front, and slightly darker shorts. "Thanks...you look cute." They climbed into the bed, and she snuggled up against him.

"Man...Mom and Dad didn't come in here...they must not've been upset with us," Jaden said, liking her cuddling against him. He yawned. "Man, I hope tomorrow is better for everybody..."

Alexis nodded against his side, already dozing off. "Yeah...let's hope...nothing else bad...happens..." The two kids fell asleep and for a time, dreamed.

_And so the trip to the Yuki household ends without anyone injured. Okay, so we had some embarrassment, but that's to be expected. But at least we hope you were amused by this chapter. But will the humor last? Next time, peace will be shattered and the punishment of two evil individuals will begin! Until next time, read, enjoy and review! Thank you!_


	42. Attack!

Chapter XLII: Attack!

_Greetings again, everyone and welcome to the next installment of _Summer Love, Summer Fears!_ We are so glad you're still with us in the 42__nd__ chapter of this tale. We hope you stay with us through the whole thing. Last time, we had hilarity when Jaden and Alexis had ice cream and had to clean up, which led to an encounter with his parents. We hope no one was gravely offended by what happened. Anyway, thank you for your reviews as always. We really appreciate them and are glad to respond to every single review we get._

_So, now we come to the beginning of a short arc that will see Slade and Jagger Princeton's undoing. So sit back, relax and enjoy the drama with some comedic moments thrown in. As usual, you know what we own and don't own! Thank you._

_**Warning: Mild and bleeped language in this chapter. **_

All should have been peaceful for the groups of teens that night wherever they were. But at two AM in Domino, though, Annie Hanson awoke. She sat up in bed. The room was flooded with moonlight and Annie could see Atticus sleeping on a lounger next to Chazz's bed and holding the younger boy's hand. She could also see that Syrus slept peacefully beside her. She sighed softly and crossed herself, as she'd been taught at her parish. "Lord...please give me a little more time with him...I don't want to go yet..." All Annie wanted was a little more time if her days were limited. She attempted to be quiet, but perhaps she wasn't quiet enough.

Syrus yawned, opening his eyes a little. "Annie?" he mumbled, half-asleep.

"Oh, Sy...I'm sorry I woke you up..." she apologized.

In the other bed, Chazz woke up. "Huh? What's going on, guys?"

Atticus was awakened by the sound of Chazz's voice, and sat up. "Yeah, what's with all the talk? It's not time for breakfast yet, is it?" he asked tiredly.

Syrus also sat up. "Why are you up, Annie?"

"I...woke up and I was having a talk with God. When you wake up at two in the morning, it's sometimes a good idea," Annie explained. "I thought I was quiet enough; sorry, guys."

Syrus smiled and hugged her. "It's okay, Annie..."

Atticus nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about it."

Annie smiled, and then the kids heard what sounded like popping. "What the..?" she asked.

Chazz sat up straight. "That sounds like...gunshots!"

"It...can't be..." Annie's eyes were wide.

Syrus' eyes were also wide as they heard a few shouts, and he grabbed Annie's hand. "B-But...I thought there were guards outside!" he whispered.

Atticus frowned and stood, dead serious now. "If they try anything, I don't care if they're armed, I won't let them hurt you guys." 'I'm the oldest here. I have the best chance of protecting them. And I'll be damned if I let someone harm my friends and brother while I'm around,' he thought.

Roland, Seto Kaiba's personal security guard, was standing outside the hospital room door when he got the code for an emergency outside. This was an attack and one man had just been shot. Roland drew his sidearm and poked his head in the room. "It's all right, kids...we won't let them through..."

They nodded and he closed the door again, Atticus walking over to stand against the wall next to it. He had the best vantage point now if they were still able to get into the room. "Annie, don't worry, we'll be okay," whispered Syrus, though his voice shook.

"Sy..." Annie was trembling and her heart rate shot up.

Meanwhile, six men were fighting against the Kaiba Corp security guards outside in the parking lot. "YOU EITHER BACK AWAY OR WE'LL BLOW YOUR XXXXING HEADS OFF!"

"EAT XXXX AND DIE!" a Kaiba Corp guard countered, running into a guy and knocking him against a wall, hard.

The other Kaiba Corp guards also acted quickly. "WHO WERE YOU WITH?" one Kaiba Corp man shouted.

"Princeton Corp...We were told to come here and get the boy!" one attacker groaned from his position on the ground.

"You're going to jail!" Just then, several police cars drove up, and about 20 officers exited their cars, guns drawn. The danger had passed.

Roland got the all-clear signal and poked his head in again. "It's all right, kids...it's over..." Annie, though, kept trembling and her heart rate continued rising.

Atticus let out a sigh of relief, glad it hadn't gotten to the point where he had to get involved. Meanwhile, Syrus noticed Annie's current state, and went pale. "Annie?? I think she's having another attack!" he shouted, eyes wide again.

And Annie was. "Sy..." Her eyes were wide in terror as her heart pounded uncontrollably.

"Oh, man!" Chazz yelped. Roland went running to find a nurse.

Atticus quickly went to the bedside and checked Annie's pulse, his own eyes going wide. "He's right! Her heart's beating way too fast!!"

Syrus wrapped his arms around her. "Annie, don't worry, you'll be okay; a nurse is coming..."

The nurse and a doctor came running in fast. "Okay, everybody move back! Kid, move back," the doctor said to Syrus, getting the teen boy to move away. "Annie, it's okay," he said. Unlike the previous attack, Annie's heart rate began dropping on its own. "That's a good girl," the doctor soothed.

Atticus was back by Chazz's bed, while Syrus was staying as close to Annie's as possible. 'Come on, Annie. You can do it,' he thought, biting his bottom lip nervously as the doctor worked over the young woman he loved.

"She's okay now... you can come back now, young man," the doctor invited Sy.

Syrus was back on the bed in seconds, pulling Annie's hand into his own. "Annie, are you feeling okay now?"

"Tired..." she managed. "Sy, just hold me..." She was trembling, still frightened. "They're...they're gone?" Syrus did as she asked, arms wrapped securely around her.

Roland was in the room now. "Yeah, they're gone, Annie...and you kids ought to know they were with Princeton Corp."

"Slade and Jagger," Chazz growled.

Atticus gritted his teeth angrily, slamming a fist into his palm. "I can't believe they'd do such a thing...and in a hospital! How low..."

"We need to call Mom and Dad," Chazz said, looking at Atticus. Annie squeezed close to Syrus and was so exhausted, she fell immediately into a deep sleep. Roland made an emergency call to his boss to let Seto Kaiba know what had happened, and one of the nurses made a call to Dr. Rhodes.

Meanwhile at the Yuki residence, Alexis' eyes snapped open, even though just a moment earlier she'd been in a deep sleep. Anger coursed through her, and she knew something had happened at the hospital. "Atticus, what could make you so angry? Jaden! Jaden, wake up!" she whispered, shaking him.

"What..? Where's the dueling marshmallow?" Jaden asked, definitely not awake. And then he snapped awake. "Lex, what's wrong?"

"Jaden, I think something happened at the hospital. See, Atty and I can kind of sense each other's thoughts and feelings. And right now, he's pretty upset. Can you feel something like it?" she explained and asked.

"I..." Jaden paused and felt something. "That's weird...something's happened...but it's like a tickle with me..." He lay back down, drawing Alexis with him. "If something happened...we'll know..."

Back at the Rhodes home, the phone started ringing, and Jack glanced at the clock. "Who could possibly be calling this late?" he mumbled through a yawn. Half asleep, Jack picked up the phone and placed it against his ear. "Hello, Rhodes residence. Jack Rhodes speaking..."

"Mr. Rhodes, this is Nurse Atkinson...I need to speak with your wife...It's urgent..."

Jack was wide awake now, guessing what the problem likely was. "Scout, sweetie, wake up. It's urgent," he whispered, shaking her.

Instantly awake, Scout snatched the phone. "This is Dr. Rhodes..."

"Dr. Rhodes, it's Tammy," came the other voice on the line. "We've had a very serious situation at the hospital. There was an attack on the hospital and the people were attempting to get to Chazz..."

"WHAT?!" Scout's eyes went wide in shock.

Jack jumped about a foot off of the bed at her shout, surprised. "What is it, Scout? What happened??"

"Someone attacked the hospital, trying to get to Chazz! Is he all right, Tammy?"

"He is...but unfortunately, the attack caused Annie Hanson to have another episode..."

"Is...is she okay?"

"Yes, doctor...this attack didn't require medicinal intervention..."

"Oh, thank goodness..." Scout said softly.

Jack was out of bed, walking over to take his phone from the top of the dresser. "We both know who it was, Scout. And I'm not going to stand for it. I'm calling Hisoka," he explained as he dialed the phone number, dark eyes snapping in anger.

"Just a second, honey...Do I need to come over there, Tammy?" Scout asked.

"The police will be gone soon...they're taking the perpetrators away now...one of the Kaiba Corp guards was injured, not seriously and the attackers identified themselves as working for Princeton Corp...well, one of them did," Tammy explained.

"Princeton Corp?! Did they say why they were there?"

"To take Chazz..."

Scout's eyes snapped with anger. "Thank you, Tammy...I'll be over in a bit...thank you..." She hung up and quickly told Jack. "Call him now. I want those...things away from my boys..."

Jack had paused for a moment, and now finished dialing the number. "Of all the nerve...they won't get away with it this time."

"No, they won't..."

A few minutes away at the Yukis, Jaden and Alexis heard the phone ring at 2:45 in the morning. "What the...unless it's a medical emergency, nobody calls here this late," Jaden whispered.

Alexis frowned. "I knew something happened..."

In the other room, a half asleep Hisoka answered the phone. "Yuki residence...Hisoka Yuki speaking," he mumbled through a yawn.

Jayda woke up quickly, and unlike her son, did not wake up talking about dueling marshmallows. "Honey?" she asked softly.

"Hisoka, it's Jack. We just got a call from the hospital. Apparently, some people attacked the hospital trying to get Chazz. And one of them said they were from Princeton Corp," Jack explained angrily.

Hisoka's eyes opened fully. "WHAT??"

"Honey?" Jayda's eyes were wide.

Jaden, hearing his father's shout, jumped out of bed, grabbing his fiancée's hand. "C'mon, Lex...if my dad's yelling, it isn't good..." They tore down the hall fast. "Mom?" Jaden asked, coming into the room. She shook her head.

Hisoka took in a breath to calm himself down before speaking. "Jayda, kids, it seems that Princeton Corp. hired people to attack the hospital. They were after Chazz," he explained.

Alexis' eyes widened. "W-What??"

"Are they okay?" Jaden yelped.

Jack could hear the question from his end and answered. "Yes, tell them they're all right. Only one of Seto's guards was injured, but not too badly. Though Annie did have another episode. Luckily, it resolved itself without medication." Hisoka let out a sigh of relief and repeated Jack's words to everyone. Alexis also sighed, glad that everyone was alright.

Jayda, too, took a breath. "Oh, thank goodness for that...Oh, I should call Darla unless she's on duty? Syrus was in there..."

"How...how could they do that?" Jaden asked, stunned. "I knew those guys were jerks, but...hiring people to attack a hospital and just to get Chazz? And they could've killed people!"

"Sweetie, it didn't happen that way," Jayda soothed as Jaden climbed on his parents' big bed for a hug from his mom.

Hisoka frowned, eyes set in complete seriousness. "Don't worry. I'm going to call a judge and call for an emergency hearing first thing in the morning. Thanks for the information, Jack." He hung up the phone and turned to hug his son comfortingly. Alexis stood where she was, rubbing her arm uncomfortably.

"Come here, Alexis," Jayda invited. "You need a hug, too."

The teen girl smiled and joined in on the hug, the group breaking up a moment later. "All right. I'm going to call the judge to set up an emergency hearing," Hisoka stated. He stood and got on his slippers, and went to his home office down the hall.

"Why don't we go down to the kitchen, kids? I'll make us some hot chocolate," Jayda said.

"This late, Mom?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah...you two probably won't go back to sleep and I know I won't; your father's probably not going back to bed either..."

Alexis nodded. "All right, that sounds good right about now..." So, while Hisoka got into contact with a judge, the three went downstairs to the kitchen. Alexis had just sat at the table with Jaden when a thought occurred to her. "Hey, shouldn't someone tell Violet? She is Annie's best friend..."

"Hmmm...Yeah...we probably should...I wonder if Bastion's up..." Jaden mused.

"Is he a night owl, Jay Jay?" Jayda asked.

"Yeah...Sy said when he spent time in the Ra dorms, some nights Bastion would be up late working on equations...but I don't know if we want to wake Violet," Jaden mused.

Alexis propped her head up with her hand, thinking for a moment. "Well...what if she sensed something was wrong like I did?"

"Then...I guess she'll be awake," Jaden answered, elbows propped on the kitchen table. "But which one of us should...Oh, I'll do it...Bastion needs to know..." Jaden headed to the phone, grateful that his dad had a separate phone line in the office. The phone rang at the Misawa residence.

Hiro was the one to answer the phone, having always been a light sleeper. "Hello, Misawa residence. Hiro Misawa speaking," he greeted tiredly.

"Mr. Misawa, it's Jaden Yuki. I'm sorry to call so...late or early, but I need to talk to Bastion and Violet right away; it's an emergency..."

Hiro blinked in surprise. "Oh my, what's happened?" he asked as he slid out of bed. Hiro got on his slippers and started making his way down the hall to his son's room.

"Somebody attacked Domino Children's and tried to get Chazz! And Annie had another episode...she's okay, though..."

"That's terrible. I can't believe anyone would-Violet?" Hiro had entered the room, only to see Violet staring out the window.

She turned in surprise, tear streaks visible from the moonlight streaming in through the window. "Oh, Hiro, I…" she mumbled.

"Dad...what's going on?" Bastion asked, coming awake in an instant. "Violet? Oh, no..." He noticed the phone in his father's hand. "What's happened?" He got his arm around Violet fast.

"Bastion, I told you something was wrong," she whispered, frowning.

Hiro sighed. "You have excellent foresight, Violet. Someone attacked the hospital and tried to get your friend Chazz. Also, Annie had another episode from the event. Luckily, she's okay..."

"Oh, my...Dad...who's on the phone?" Bastion asked.

"It's your friend, Jaden. Oh, that's right; he wanted to speak with you. Here you are, son," replied Hiro, handing him the phone. Violet was hugging Tiffles the stuffed Watapon close to her chest, frowning sadly.

"Bastion?"

"Jaden, what in the world?!"

"Your dad told you?"

"Yes, but Violet woke up with a premonition?"

"A pre…what?"

Bastion sighed. "It means you have a feeling bad things are happening..."

"Oh...Annie's okay...a nurse called Lex's mom and Lex's dad called my dad. And Dad's calling a judge so we can get an emergency hearing!"

"That's wonderful!" Bastion looked at Violet. "Jaden...could you possibly tell Violet all of this? She's been terrified..."

"You've got it..." While Bastion handed his fiancée the phone, Jaden looked at Alexis. "You were right..."

Alexis smiled. "Now that was woman's intuition."

Back on the other end of the phone, Violet placed the phone against her ear. "Hello? Jaden??"

"Hey, Violet...Annie's okay...she had another episode, but it came down really quick...they didn't have to use medicine. But Slade and Jagger...those jerks had their goons attack the hospital! With guns!"

Violet sighed. "I knew something bad must have happened. I woke up and was scared for my life even though I knew I was safe. I think...I felt Annie's emotions. I'm just glad that everyone's okay," she explained, smiling.

"Yeah...you okay?"

"Yeah...Bastion comforted me and now I know everything's all right. I don't understand, though, why so many bad things have been happening..."

"What Annie and Bastion said yesterday about why bad things happen to us...I think they're right...unfortunately..."

"Well, let's hope that for now the bad events are over. Are you guys going back to bed?" she asked. Violet didn't want to mention that she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that the worst was yet to come.

"No...I'm wide awake and so is Lex...If Dad's already talked to the judge, he's getting ready for the court hearing in a few hours...if he's gotten it early enough...With any luck, he'll get a hearing quick. I'm wide awake and so is Lex," Jaden repeated himself, as he was a tiny bit loopy.

Violet blinked. "Uh, Jaden, you sure you don't need any more sleep? You kind of repeated yourself."

"Huh? Oh, I'm okay...nerves...Mom's making us some hot chocolate...Ever had one of those nights where you're tired but you just can't go to sleep?" he asked.

"Yeah...I can tell you the Haverbrook Cure-All if you want. It works on basically any problem," Violet offered, smiling.

"Yeah? What's that?" Jaden asked, as on the other line, Bastion groaned, shaking his head. He'd heard this from Violet before.

"It's a simple three-step process. First, find a wall. Then, lean back. And finally, slam your head against the wall as hard as you possibly can. Works every time," she explained cheerfully.

Hiro, still in the room, raised an inquisitive brow. 'That just might explain a few things,' he thought, sweat-dropping.

"Warning," Bastion said in a TV announcer's voice, "this method may result in pounding headaches, bumps on the head and brief periods of unconsciousness. A few Ra Yellows tried it during finals week."

"Ouch," Jaden said, laughing.

Violet sweat-dropped, but giggled all the same. "Hey, I guess my family just has hard heads or something. How was I supposed to know that anyone else would actually feel it?"

On both sides of the line, two boys started laughing hysterically. "Oh, man!" Jaden blurted out. "Violet!"

"She livens Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue up...and my life, too!" Bastion gasped out.

Violet grinned and just went with it, even if she didn't know what had gotten them laughing so hard. Alexis' eyes widened. "And just what's so funny, Jaden?"

"Violet's method for making anything better!" Jaden grinned, laughing.

Multiple ideas ran through Alexis' head, each worse than the last. "And what exactly would that be?" she asked, sweat-dropping. 'Surely it can't be that bad...'she added as an after-thought.

"Whacking your head against the wall..."

The sweat drop lengthened greatly. "Oh...well, uh, that's...some method," Alexis replied, grinning sheepishly.

"Whacking your head against the wall?" Jayda asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, Mom! Like this!" Jaden walked over to the nearest wall and demonstrated, promptly knocking himself out.

Alexis blinked, eye twitching. "Uh..." She groaned and picked up the phone, letting out a sigh. "Well, Violet, Jaden took your advice; he's out cold."

Bastion, listening, groaned. "Where's Zane when you need him?"

Over at the Truesdales, Zane rolled over in his sleep and muttered, "Oh, lord..."

"I swear you people must be doing something wrong! It's not that hard..."grumbled Violet. She pouted and turned around to face the wall, slamming her own head against it. A second later Violet turned back around, completely unaffected. "See? I'm perfectly all right."

"Violet, my love...perhaps you and your family have a gift beyond mortals," Bastion said. "Um...is Jaden all right?"

On the other end of the phone, Jaden came around. "Wow, it worked! Alexis, you have to try this!"

"Jaden Kiyo Yuki! Absolutely not!" Jayda said firmly.

"My mom always said I was special in my own special way," Violet replied, grinning. A slight bump was forming on her temple, though.

Alexis sighed and shook her head. "Jaden, you're going to have a lump the size of my hot cocoa mug."

"Dad, go get some ice, will you?" Bastion asked his father.

Meanwhile, Jayda placed an ice pack on her son's forehead. "Feeling dizzy?"

"No, Mom..."

"Good, no concussion..."

Violet blinked. "Are you hot, Bastion-baby??" she asked, confused.

Alexis rubbed her temple. "Jaden...sometimes I wonder..."

"Sorry, Lex," Jaden groaned.

"Violet darling, you've got quite a bump developing on your head," Bastion explained. "May I speak with Alexis for a moment?" he asked her.

Violet blinked again and poked her forehead, directly prodding the bump. "Ouchies! Okay..." She winced and handed him the phone, then curiously poked the spot again. "Double ouchies!!"

"Alexis," Bastion said when he was on, "should we be ready for anything in the morning? Will...we be needed, perhaps?"

Alexis thought for a long moment. "Well, Jaden and I might, since we were there when they beat him yesterday. I don't know about you and Violet, though."

"Violet..." Bastion was worried about this. "Darling, we may have to go to court this morning. Think you're up to it?"

By now Violet had learned her lesson, and stopped prodding the bump. "Court? As long as they don't...you know...mention that word." She frowned.

"Darling...they may need to mention it," Bastion said gently. "I'll be there with you..."

Violet sighed and sat on the bed, playing with the necklace she still hadn't taken off. "But what if I break down again? I don't..." she muttered, voice shaking.

"It's all right, darling...if you do, it won't be the first time someone has broken down in a courtroom..."

Violet groaned and placed her head in her hands, long hair flowing freely over her arms. "You don't understand, Bastion. I...I feel so guilty. Here I am breaking down over something that happened so long ago, while two of my friends are facing more serious problems right now..."

Bastion held her. "Alexis...we'll see if Violet's up to it...if not, we'll be at the hospital in the morning, all right?"

"All right, Bastion. I understand. Well, good night. See you in a few hours." Alexis replied, sighing.

"Good night, Alexis...and please tell Jaden not to purposely whack his head against the wall," Bastion added. Then he hung up. "Violet...don't you dare be upset with yourself...what you went through at that monster's hand...that was bad...and you're only really starting to deal with it. Yes, Annie and Chazz are in trouble, but that doesn't make what happened to you any less important!"

Violet looked up at Bastion, the light from the moon making her eyes shimmer. "Bastion..."she whispered, surprised. He sounded so upset, as if what she had said hurt him. Violet frowned and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry..."

"Darling...I am not upset with you," he managed, seeing her eyes. "Don't apologize. It's sweet that you worry about our friends, but it's okay to hurt. And I will ride it out with you."

"Bastion...thank you. I worry so much because the one true friend I had back in Ohio, I couldn't help. And that's why I lost her." Tears filled her eyes. "I don't want that to happen again!"

"If I have any say in the matter, darling, it won't..." Bastion's gray eyes flashed.

Meanwhile, back at the Yukis, Jaden was off of the floor and drinking his hot chocolate along with Alexis. Jayda took the opportunity to dial the Truesdales' number.

Alexis took a sip of her cocoa and sighed. "Man, this is crazy. Can't we just have normal teenage lives?"

Will awoke to the sound of the phone ringing and let out a yawn. "Who would possibly call at this time?" he mumbled, picking it up. "Truesdale residence, Will Truesdale speaking..."

"Hello, Will. It's Jayda Yuki, Jaden's mom. You need to wake Darla and Zane; there's been an incident..."

Will blinked, waking up a bit more. "Darla, wake up. It's Jayda. Something's happened," he whispered through another yawn as he shook his wife awake.

Zane had heard the phone ring and heard his father answer and so was wide awake as he headed down the hall. "Mom? Dad?" he asked as he came into his parents' bedroom.

Will glanced over at his oldest son. "Zane, what are you doing up?" he asked, continuing to shake Darla in an effort to wake her.

"I heard the phone...What's happening?"

"Apparently, something happened," Will replied.

Darla finally stirred, turning over to look from her husband to Zane and back again. "What is it, honey? And what is Zane doing up??"

Will handed her the phone. "He heard the phone, Darla. It's Jayda, and she needs to talk to you."

"Hello? Jayda??"

"Oh, thank goodness. Hi, Darla...Listen...we've had an incident at the hospital. Some...thugs...attacked on Slade and Jagger Princeton's orders and they were after Chazz; they actually had guns. And...Annie had another episode..."

Darla's eyes widened and she sat up. "That's terrible! Is everyone all right?! What about Syrus??"

Will blinked. "Darla? What's going on??"

"Slade and Jagger hired men to attack the hospital and get Chazz! It even caused Annie to have another attack!"

"Oh, no," Zane moaned softly. "Syrus..."

"Annie's episode was shorter lived this time and it didn't need medicine. One of the Kaiba Corp guards was hurt; it wasn't bad, but the others brought those jerks down," Jayda explained. "Everybody's okay, and Hisoka's calling a judge to set up an emergency hearing this morning. Tell Zane everybody knows all ready...Scout called me."

Darla let out a sigh of relief and turned to her eldest child. "Don't worry. Apparently, only one of the guards was injured. Annie's episode wasn't a bad one; it didn't last very long and didn't even require medicine. Hisoka's setting up a hearing with a judge in a few hours, all of the others know," she explained quickly.

Jayda smiled, having delivered the message. "I'll call in a few hours, Darla, and let you know what's going on regarding the hearing...See you later..."

"Goodbye, Jayda. Thanks for the information." Darla then hung up and the three Truesdales sat together, worried.

Back at the Yukis, Hisoka made his way downstairs, sitting down at the table. "Well, I managed to set a hearing for seven o'clock sharp. All those who are related to Chazz in anyway should probably attend..."

"Seven AM? Wow..." Jaden said. "How can Chazz testify, Dad? I mean...he can't leave his room..."

"I told the judge that. She said that if we could bring in recorded testimony from him, that would be all right. The pictures and fact that he's in the hospital are plenty of evidence against those two."

"Yeah, Dad," Jaden said. He looked nervous. "You don't think they'd try anything, do you?"

"Son, judging by what they did tonight, they'd likely do anything to stay on top. Hopefully, there's nothing else they can do," he replied, sighing.

And so, with that excitement down, Jaden and Alexis drank down their hot chocolate and headed back to bed. At the Misawa home, Bastion and Violet did as well. However, it is doubtful if anyone actually slept, with the noted exception of the kids in the hospital.

_And so it begins…Slade and Jagger Princeton's evil deeds have culminated in an attack on a children's hospital and they are directly linked to it. So what will happen at the court? You'll have to stay tuned for courtroom drama and the fight for Chazz's freedom! So until next time, read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	43. The Trial Begins

Chapter XLIII: The Trial Begins

_Welcome back, everyone. Thanks to all of our reviewers and readers, yet again, and now, it is time. Slade and Jagger Princeton are going down. This chapter is the beginning of the end for those two. They are about to find out that the law of what goes around comes around, or the law of karmatic retribution is about to go into effect. We hope you enjoy this._

_We admit the portrayal of the courtroom may not be entirely accurate. Things have been changed for dramatic purposes and we hope you all don't mind. Thank you._

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX; we just own our characters, non-established characters and this storyline/timeline. Thank you.**_

At 6 AM at the Yuki house, three people got showers and got dressed. Jaden Yuki pulled a conservative suit and tie from his closet and black dress shoes. "Argh...I can't tie this stupid tie, Lex!"

Alexis was dressed in some clothes she'd borrowed from Jayda; a white, button-up blouse, tan jacket, matching tan dress pants, and a pair of brown high heels. "Oh, Jaden. Why is it that guys can never seem to do this?" she sighed and quickly fixed it, making it look as easy as tying one's shoes.

"How do women make it look so easy?" he countered, laughing. "And...you look amazing...babe..."

Alexis smiled. "There are just some things only women can do and some things only men can do."

In the other room, Hisoka was having similar trouble. Usually, he could tie his pretty well, but perhaps the severity and personal nature of this case was making him a bit nervous. "Oh, for the love of subpoena! What is wrong with this thing today?"

"You didn't get enough, sleep, honey," Jayda said, in her pajamas and robe. "That and I know you're nervous...you'll do fine...you always do...And..." She kissed him, trying to give him some of her confidence. "I'm with you, even if I'm not in court..."

Hisoka sighed and smiled. "Thank you, Sugar Jay. I suppose I'm worried about Violet and Annie's conditions, not to mention the lengths those brothers are willing to go," he replied, frowning. Hisoka did manage to finally tie his tie, though.

"There you are...Honey, the girls will be okay and those idiots won't try that again; not with a whole courtroom...they can't." Jayda said this so her husband wouldn't worry. But she worried, too.

He nodded. "Well, we'd better get going. I'll be sure to call you when it's over." Hisoka kissed her once more before leaving the room, going down the hall to knock on his son's door. "Jaden, Alexis? Time to go," he called.

"Coming, Dad! Ready, Lex?" Jaden asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be, Jaden. I just hope the others are..."she replied. They joined Hisoka, and all three went out to his car.

Meanwhile, at Domino Children's Annie, Sy and Chazz looked at Atticus, who was still in his outfit from the previous day. "Atticus, be really careful," Annie said.

"Yeah, bro, keep your head down," Chazz added.

Atticus sighed. "I'll try to, guys. I know that if I lose my temper and do anything, it'll hurt us and help them."

Syrus nodded. "I just hope they don't try anything else..."

"That's what worries me...They're getting desperate," Chazz said.

"They've done stuff like this before?" Annie asked, very worried now.

"Yeah...Annie, don't panic!" the raven-haired boy said quickly, not wanting the girl to have another attack. "I don't think those two are dumb enough to try anything at a courthouse though, and what happened last night is bad enough...it'll be all over the news..."

Sure enough, Annie turned on the news. "Attack on Domino Children's...Breaking News...Oh, this is perfect!" she said. "Chazz, you were right!"

"Aren't I always?" he said, grinning.

"Um..." Had this been a cartoon, one might have heard crickets chirping.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh, well, er..."

Luckily, he was interrupted by the newscaster. "We have just received information that an emergency hearing is being held this morning! Judge Robinson will be presiding, Hisoka Yuki will be prosecuting Slade and Jagger Princeton, and Henry Jackson will be defending them."

"Guess this could be both criminal and family court...Help him, Lord," Annie said and prayed. "Atticus, good luck...just tell them what happened, okay? And don't let the defense attorney get to you."

"Yeah..." Chazz said, impulsively hugging his big brother.

Atticus grinned. "Don't worry, guys! They'll hear the whole story. And I can be as serious as Zane...if I try hard enough."

Syrus smiled. "I'm sure you can be, Atticus."

Meanwhile, at the Rhodes home... "STUPID CONTROL TOP PANTY HOSE!" Jean Louise "Scout" Rhodes shouted angrily.

Jack blinked, glancing over his shoulder from where he stood fixing his tie. "Honey, is everything going okay?" he asked, sweat-dropping.

"The first time I wear a skirt in months and I decide to wear panty hose... AND I CAN'T GET THE STUPID THINGS ON, JACK!"

He laughed sheepishly and walked over, helping his wife to pull the stressful undergarment all the way up. "There. Honey, are you going to be all right for this?"

"Yeah...this is for our new boy..." Scout scowled. "How I'm going to keep from getting really mad in there...After what they did a few hours ago...How could they attack a hospital full of kids?" She counted to 20 and back again. "I'll be all right, Jack...and two of our three will be there."

Jack nodded. "All right. I just have to finish fixing my tie and then I'm set to go. What about you?" he asked, returning to the job at hand.

"I'll be fine..." She pulled on a blue A-line skirt and a white ruffled blouse and a blue jacket. Then she got on a pair of blue flats that matched the jacket perfectly.

"Good?" she asked.

"Of course. You look good in anything, honey." Jack was wearing a navy blue suit with a black tie and matching black shoes.

Meanwhile, at the Misawas..."Violet, what do you want to do?" Bastion asked at 5:45 AM as they sat on his bed.

Violet had been deep in thought for the past five minutes, and finally sighed. "I'll go. Just...stay with me, okay?" she asked as she stood.

"Always, my love...We'll go in together and sit with our friends and with any luck, it'll be all resolved quickly..."

Violet nodded. "All right. Luckily, Mom convinced me to pack dress clothes just in case," she grinned and pulled out a parcel from her suitcase.

"Oh, my...well, would you like to shower first? I probably should go and check over my suit and my shoes..."

She gave him the peace sign as she walked out. "Okies! See you in a bit, Bastion-baby!!" Violet skipped down the hallway, almost passing up the bathroom. In a few moments she was in the shower, washing her hair and humming happily to herself.

Bastion, meanwhile, headed back into his bedroom and pulled out his suit, dress shirt and a tie. 'Perhaps the monochromatic look will do...' He'd selected a gray suit, dress shirt and tie, along with his shiny black dress shoes. And then he went to his bureau and pulled out a pair of silver cufflinks. 'I hope these look all right,' he thought.

By now Violet was out of the shower, quickly brushing and blow-drying her hair so that it was nice and fluffy. She then tied it into a bun and got dressed in a white blouse, lavender coat, matching lavender knee-length skirt, and purple high heels that matched her hair. "I hope I remember how to walk in these things," she muttered, exiting the bathroom. Violet appeared to be rusty, however, for within moments she'd tripped and face-planted into the carpet. "Ow...stupid heels..."

Bastion had just exited his room, ready to take his shower when he saw Violet on the carpet. "Darling, could you use some help?"

"Yes...I hate heels," came her muffled reply.

Bastion knelt and helped her up. "Up you get then...Oh, my...you look absolutely ravishing..." Translated, he thought she looked amazing.

Violet blew a stray purple bang out of her face and blinked. "Radishing? You think I look like a radish??" she asked, confused.

"Um...no, I said...I've done it again," Bastion said, blushing. "What I meant was you look wonderful; you're going to turn heads, darling. Oh, goodness, I'll need to hurry! Back in a moment, Violet love..." And with that, Bastion ran into the bathroom.

Violet blinked again and shrugged, going back to her bedroom. "Turning heads...Bastion-baby sure does talk weird sometimes. Well, I guess I could dig around in my suitcase a bit while I wait," she muttered, kneeling down next to it.

Bastion, meanwhile, quickly got in the shower, scrubbed off, then brushed his teeth, dried his hair and, carefully wrapping the towel around himself, headed to his bedroom. He got his clothes on and then came out of the room. "Violet, darling, I'm ready..."

Violet stood and turned to face him, smiling. "You look great, Bastion-baby! Look what I found." She handed him a slightly faded Duel Monsters card that had a picture of Saturn on it. "That's the fake card I told you guys about. The one Bobby gave me."

"Oh, my...a planet card...I can see why you thought it was a real one; the artwork is pretty good...Violet love, do I look all right?" Bastion asked, concerned.

"I already said that you looked great, Bastion-baby!" She smirked and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Very handsome."

"Excellent...I wouldn't want to disappoint the most beautiful woman in the courtroom," he said, looking her over.

Violet giggled. "Oh, you silly, flirting genius! Come on, we're going to be late." She half-dragged him out of the room, just like she had all those weeks ago back at the academy when they were going to the movie.

And so, amid a flurry of media coverage, the group met up at the courthouse. "Hey, guys," Jaden yelled, signaling his friends over to him.

"Jaden, is everything...?" Bastion asked, pushing through the crowd.

"We have to sit at the front...I hate sitting at the front!" Jaden said. "But Dad says we have to...this is almost worse than that time Sy and I got in trouble..."

"You mean when Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Shepherd punished you for going into the abandoned dorm?" Alexis asked as they made their way through the media circus to Jaden's dad.

Violet got steamed when one cameraman got a little too close. "Hey! Watch where you're putting that thing!!" she yelled, shoving the camera away so that it smacked him in the face.

"Uh...yeah, Lex...the campus Disciplinary Squad...that was overkill..."

"Yes, especially in light of the nature of what you did...you saved the vaunted Queen of Obelisk Blue," Bastion pointed out.

Alexis sighed. "Dr. Crowler just wanted to get Jaden into trouble." By now they had made it into the building, so there was no more media to worry about. Hisoka was waiting for them with a serious expression.

"Follow me, kids. I'll take us to the right court room," stated Hisoka as they walked.

"Thanks, Dad...hey, is this going to be broadcast live?" Jaden asked. The other kids groaned softly.

Hisoka sighed. "Sorry, guys, but it is. It's hard planning a private hearing. Well, here we are." They had reached a pair of large oak doors, a few voices able to be heard behind those doors. "Sounds like the defense is already here..."

The group marched into the courtroom and sure enough, the defense lawyer, Henry Jackson was there, as were the Princeton brothers. "Those jerks," Jaden growled softly.

"Shh...Jaden, keep your temper or your dad gets knackered," Bastion cautioned.

Violet blinked. "What??"

"Bastion, even I don't know what you just said," Alexis whispered. While the kids all sat in the front row, Hisoka went to sit at the prosecutor's table.

"Knackered means he'll lose," Bastion whispered. "Please, everyone...just keep your tempers..."

And then Jagger made eye contact with the group. He made his thumb and forefinger like a gun, fake-fired at the group and grinned. 'You're next...' he mouthed. Jaden and Bastion both fought for control.

Slade smirked, but as usual preferred to let his brother do most of the taunting. Alexis frowned and sent a glare right back, her brother gritting his teeth to hold in his own anger. Violet squeezed Bastion's hand, and then stuck her tongue out at Jagger.

"I have words for him...but they can wait," Bastion whispered. "Don't let him get to you...any of you...Jaden, Alexis, Atticus...It'll be all right..."

And then the court was called to order. "All rise! Court is now in session, the Honorable Janice Robinson presiding," a large man, the bailiff, intoned as a small black woman in judge's robes walked in.

Everyone stood up until she said, "You may be seated."

Hisoka took a few deep breaths, preparing himself for the hard trial he was about to go through. 'Please, God, give me strength,' he thought.

And the judge began, "We're here under unusual circumstances today. Mr. Yuki, you called me at 2:45 this morning requesting an urgent emergency hearing to determine the custody of one Charles Xavier Princeton on the grounds that his legal guardians, his biological brothers are criminally unfit, is that correct?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Hisoka answered clearly.

"Make your opening statement, then," Judge Robinson said.

"Your Honor, for the past two years, young Charles Xavier Princeton, otherwise known to the world as Chazz, has been attending Duel Academy. However, when he lost a series of duels there, he ran from the school. It wasn't because he was ashamed of losing; it was in fact because he was terrified of what his brothers Slade and Jagger might do if they found out. He undertook a dangerous trip which led him to Duel Academy North, where he studied. Later, he found his way back to Duel Academy where an act of abuse was placed upon him at the hands of his brothers and in the presence of hundreds of witnesses. Chazz later revealed that he has undergone various types of abuse for several years.

"Yesterday morning, while enjoying a pleasant breakfast with friends, his brothers confronted him, took him outside of the restaurant and beat him. He was admitted to Domino Children's Hospital and will not be let out until this afternoon at the earliest. And then early this morning, six armed men attacked the hospital with guns drawn. The Domino Police Department has evidence that they acted at the behest of Slade and Jagger. Clearly, these men are unfit to raise Chazz. Thank you, Your Honor."

Violet had been listening intently, actually interested in the trial until Hisoka said that word.

_"Why, Mike, why?!" "How could anyone ever love you??" _rang in her head. Her eyes widened and she clutched her forehead, eyes closed tightly.

Bastion held her tightly. "It's all right, darling," he whispered. "It's all right...just stay with us here...the monsters will be taken away..."

Violet nodded and willed herself to pay attention, trying to ignore the memory plaguing her. "And your opening statement, Mr. Jackson?" the judge asked, trying to mask the anger she felt as she was supposed to judge fairly and impartially.

"Thank you, Your Honor..." Henry Jackson had brown hair that was graying at the temples, blue eyes and a graying mustache. He was dressed in a black suit, white shirt and a red tie. "Your Honor... Slade and Jagger Princeton have done their best to raise their brother since their mother died and their father committed suicide. These young men were barely more than children themselves when they were called upon to raise a baby boy who means the world to them. They're not sure where the allegations of abuse come from, nor do they know who accosted their brother yesterday or who sent these men to attack the hospital. All they ask is that they are able to continue raising their beloved brother. Thank you, Your Honor."

Hisoka and the kids all had the same thought. 'What a load of XXXXXXXX!'

"Thank you, gentlemen. I've had the opportunity to go over the evidence including pictures of a badly beaten child, and security tapes from Duel Academy and outside of the restaurant known as The Flaming Mushroom," the judge said. Hisoka smiled, the evidence speaking much for itself. "However...I would like to hear from witnesses. Your witness, Mr. Yuki..."

Hisoka thought for a moment. "I call to the stand...Atticus Lee Rhodes." Atticus blinked, but quickly stood and went to the witness box.

The bailiff came up to Atticus with a thick old Bible. "Raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

Atticus raised his right hand, left hand on the Bible, brown eyes and expression as serious as any of his friends and his sister had ever seen. "Yes, I do."

The bailiff nodded and moved the Bible away. Jaden gave his friend a thumbs-up and a smile and the other kids did similar things. "Let the record show," Judge Robinson said wryly, "that young Mr. Rhodes has a silent cheering section."

Violet covered her mouth to silent her giggles at the judge's statement. The courtroom gave soft laughter and then Hisoka came up to Atticus. "Okay, well, Atticus, we won't get to the hard stuff just yet. How old are you?"

"Nineteen, sir..."

"All right...where do you currently attend school?"

"Duel Academy."

"Okay...who are the current members of your family?"

"My father, Jack Rhodes, my mother, Jean Louise Rhodes, my sister, Alexis Rhodes, myself and Chazz," Atticus smiled.

"Chazz is a member of your family currently, Atticus?"

"Uh, well, we all consider him to be since he was all alone when his brothers disowned him. My parents let him stay with us." His smile became a grin.

"Ah," Hisoka nodded. The judge also nodded. "Okay, then, Atticus...now we have to move onto the hard stuff. When did Chazz start staying with you?"

"The day we came back from Duel Academy for vacation."

"And that was how many days ago?"

"Four, sir."

"Thank you, Atticus...Now, Chazz started staying with you four days ago. So could you tell the court, in your own words, what happened yesterday morning?"

Atticus took a deep breath. "Well, Chazz offered to treat us all to breakfast at the Flaming Mushroom. We got there and ate, but then Slade and Jagger showed up. They were pretty rude to Chazz and my sister, Alexis, and then the three went outside to 'talk'. We were getting worried when they hadn't come back after ten minutes, and then Jaden told us that Chazz was in trouble and needed help. So, he, my sister, and my mom went outside to check on him while my dad and I stayed at the table. A few minutes later, Alexis ran in and told us to pay the bill, because Chazz was hurt really bad and need to go to the ER. So, dad paid the bill and we drove the two cars around, taking Chazz to the ER. The doctors worked on him for a while and then we got to see him again. He was and still is pretty banged up. He had bruises and cuts, and I think he mentioned that one of his ribs was bruised, too."

"Thank you, Atticus. Now, you said that Jaden said Chazz was in trouble...how did he know that?"

Atticus sweat-dropped and grinned sheepishly. "Well, sir, uh...he said that his duel spirit told him."

"Duel spirit?" the judge asked. "An imaginary friend?"

"Uh, not exactly, Your Honor. See, sometime duelists can actually see the spirits of their cards. So, they're called duel spirits. Even Yugi Muto has one."

"Okay, can anyone in this courtroom see these...Duel Spirits? Please remember that you are in a courtroom," the judge said. Violet raised her hand and glanced at Jaden. Jaden and Bastion too raised their hands. The judge's eyes traveled around the room to others and then she said, "You in the back with the blue-white hair! You can see them?"

"Yes, I can, Your Honor," said a familiar voice.

_Who is the familiar voice at the back of the courtroom? And will this person help or hurt the case for Chazz's freedom? Next time, stay tuned for "Freedom." Until then, read and review! Thank you!_


	44. Freedom

Chapter XLIV: Freedom

_Hello, again, everyone. And so, we come to the chapter where Slade and Jagger's treatment of their little brother and people in general is about to bring them down. And who was that familiar figure at the back of the courtroom? Thanks again to all who read and reviewed, and now…the continuation!_

_**Disclaimer: We own Violet, Annie and Rosa, the storyline, this version of the Yugi-verse, any other characters we came up with and our concepts. We don't the actual Yugi-verse or its characters; we just own our interpretations. Thank you.**_

Violet's, Alexis's, and Atticus's eyes widened. Violet, unused to being in court, flipped around in her seat to get a better view. "Oh, hey, Kisara!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Hello, Violet," Kisara greeted back cheerfully.

"May I ask your name, young lady," the judge asked the woman in the back.

"Yes, Your Honor. My name is Kisara Angela Kaiba. I am the wife of Seto Kaiba and I know each of the children on the front row and the young man on the witness stand."

"This is highly unusual, Mrs. Kaiba, but would you please approach the bench?"

"Yes, ma'am..." Kisara got up and approached the front of the courtroom, the cameras following her.

"Mrs. Kaiba, we would like to swear you in..." Kisara nodded and was formally sworn in as a witness. "Mrs. Kaiba, can you see duel spirits?"

"Yes, ma'am, I can."

"Who has this ability?"

"As far as we know, duelists."

"We?"

"Duelists, ma'am."

"Are they different for everyone?"

"Well, ma'am, the monsters tend to choose us. My husband, brother-in-law and sister-in-law each have the Blue Eyes White Dragon as our duel spirits."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kaiba, that'll be all...Any further questions for your witness, Mr. Yuki?"

"No."

"Then does the defense wish to cross-examine?"

Jackson shook his head. "No, Your Honor."

"Then call your next witness, please..."

Atticus stood and returned to his seat, letting out the breath he'd taken in. "I'd now like to call Miss Alexis Rhodes to the stand," replied Hisoka. Alexis' eyes widened and she stood, going into the witness stand.

"It's okay, Lex," Jaden whispered to her before she left. "Oh, man..."

"Jaden, stiff upper lip..." Bastion whispered. Atticus returned to his seat. Violet had returned to the correct seating position, and flashed Alexis her trademark peace sign.

Alexis was sworn in quickly and sat down. "Okay...Your full name, for the record?" Hisoka asked.

"Alexis Harper Rhodes."

"Okay, Alexis, tell us a little about yourself...Your age, where you go to school..."

"I'm seventeen and I attend Duel Academy, sir."

"Alexis...I'd like to ask you about yesterday morning. In your own words, what happened?"

"Well, Chazz offered to treat us all to breakfast at the Flaming Mushroom. We got there and ate, but then Slade and Jagger showed up. They were pretty rude to Chazz, and when I tried to defend him they were also rude to me. They then went outside to 'talk'. We were getting worried when they hadn't come back after ten minutes, and then Jaden told us that Chazz was in trouble and needed help. So, Jaden, my mom, and I went outside to check on him while my brother and dad stayed at the table. We found Chazz lying in a pile of trash cans and badly beaten. Mom told me to get her medical bag from the car and tell dad to pay the bill. So, I ran back into the restaurant and told Dad, then went to the car to get her medical bag. When I got back to the alley, Chazz was laid out on the ground and Mom fixed him up a little. Soon, Dad and Atty drove the cars around, and we got Chazz to the ER."

"Thank you, Alexis. That'll be all."

"Do you wish to question the witness, Mr. Jackson?" Judge Robinson asked the other attorney.

"I do, Your Honor..." Hisoka sat down in the chair and Jackson stood up and walked over to Alexis. "Miss Rhodes, we've heard from another witness that Chazz bought you and your family breakfast...That seems rather unusual to me. Doesn't it seem strange to you?"

Alexis blinked. "No...it's called a gesture of kindness," she stated matter-of-factly. Violet desperately stifled her snickers.

"But why would he suddenly treat you all to breakfast? Was he trying to bribe you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Uh, no. He was probably grateful that we let him stay with us, and like having a real family for a change that actually cared about him."

"But that seems weird...is there any other reason that he might've done that?"

Alexis thought for a moment, then shrugged, "He may have wanted to celebrate Jaden's and my engagement."

Jackson looked in shock at Slade and Jagger. This wasn't the answer they were hoping for. "An engagement? Well, congratulations to you both, then...No further questions, Your Honor."

"Thank you, Miss Rhodes and congratulations."

Alexis blushed, as she'd just announced their engagement to all of Domino. "Uh, thanks..." She quickly stood and went back to her seat, sitting beside Jaden.

"Man, now everybody knows," Jaden whispered, smiling and blushing at the same time.

"Your next witness, Mr. Yuki?" the judge asked.

Hisoka smiled; everything was going all right for them so far. "I now call Jaden Yuki to the stand."

"Is he any relation to you, Mr. Yuki?" Robinson asked.

Hisoka nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. He is my son. But while on the stand I shall treat him like any other witness."

"OBJECTION!" the defense bellowed.

"On what grounds?" the judge asked.

"Fairness. How can we be sure that he's asking questions of the witness and that he wasn't coached?"

"Mr. Yuki? Where has your son been the past few days?"

"Well, Your Honor, he has spent past few nights at the Rhodes' residence with his fiancée. Yesterday, however, he and Alexis stayed at our home."

"Was he coached in any way, shape or form?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Okay, then. Mr. Jackson, your objection is hereby overruled." Jagger cursed under his breath.

"Right. Then, would Jaden Yuki please come to the witness stand?" asked Hisoka, smiling. Jaden jumped up from his seat and sauntered up to the stand where he was sworn in. "Hello, Jaden. I have to ask you a few questions, all right?"

"Okay, Dad," Jaden said easily. "Hi, Your Honor."

"Um...hello, Jaden," the judge said, seeing the boy's infectious smile.

"Okay, Jaden, for the record...Your full name, how old you are and where you attend school."

"Okay, my full name is Jaden Kiyo Yuki, I'm seventeen and I attend Duel Academy."

"Jaden...I'd like you to tell us about what happened yesterday..."

"Okay, Dad..." And so Jaden repeated what his fiancée and future brother-in-law had said. "And that's what happened," he concluded.

Meanwhile, Jackson looked helplessly at the Princeton brothers. "We can't do anything," he whispered.

"How much are we paying you?" Jagger growled softly. Slade knew things were going badly. They had evidence and three to five eye witnesses. There had to be something they could do...

"Your Honor, in addition to these witnesses, we also have six addition people to offer testimony. Bailiff, if you would bring in the prisoners?" Hisoka requested. The bailiff nodded and brought in six men in orange jumpsuits, one of whom sported a limp.

Slade's eyes widened, then narrowed. 'But they're- gah! How dare they?!' he thought angrily.

"Your Honor, these six men were arrested at Domino Children's Hospital a few hours ago and confessed to being ordered there to kidnap Chazz by the defendants..." Jackson looked at his 

clients in shock. Hisoka continued, "These men have all agreed to speak here before their trials, despite the fact that they've been advised that they will be damaging their own chances of having a plea deal..." And then, Jagger blew and what he said could not be repeated on daytime TV, but was because it was live without a time delay.

Several gasps erupted around the room, while Judge Robinson beat her gavel. "Order! I say order!!" she yelled, trying to regain control as murmurs filled the room.

Atticus was shocked, Alexis' jaw had dropped, and Violet blinked. "Uh, Bastion-baby? What's a (expletive deleted)??" While all of this was going on, Slade-- never having been one to flaunt his emotions like Jagger-- was slowly filling with rage at this new indignation.

"Whoa..."Jaden said.

"Um...darling, I wouldn't feel comfortable telling you in the courtroom...it's not...gentlemanly," Bastion whispered softly, rather embarrassed.

Violet pouted. "Fine."

Back at the hospital, "Whoa...Jagger dropped the F-bomb," Chazz said. "In public...on TV..."

"Whoa," Annie repeated, having rarely heard such language. "Among other words he dropped." Syrus's eyes were wide and his jaw dropped.

Back at the court room, Slade erupted for only the third time in his life and slammed his fist down onto the table. "This is absolutely ridiculous! Believing a few teenagers over a successful politician and business man?! How do we know that they didn't make half of this up just to drag us down??"

"Perhaps the video evidence speaks for itself, Your Honor," Hisoka said calmly. The judge nodded and the bailiff brought in a television and began playing the DVDs, one by one, starting with the incidents at Duel Academy. The DVDs were switched and what had happened yesterday was replayed as well. "Your Honor, now if it pleases the court, I'd like to show what young Chazz looked like yesterday after he had treatment." The judge allowed it. The courtroom and people watching gasped in horror.

By now Slade had sat back down, placing his head in his hands. 'Perfect...looks like there's no way out. But, I'll find a way to get revenge on those brats. Prison will give me plenty of time to think,' he thought. A smirk crossed his features, hidden by his hands.

The judge looked at the evidence in front of her. "This seems pretty conclusive. I'm heading into chambers and I will be back with my decisions..."

"Is that it?" Jaden asked after the judge left.

"Not by a long shot," Bastion whispered.

"I wasn't even called," Scout whispered to Jack.

Hisoka let out his breath and sat down, relieved that things had gone well for them. Jack smiled. "There was already enough evidence to convict them, honey. It's their own fault."

Violet stretched. "Is it a bad thing if you fall asleep during part of the trial? 'Cause I kind of did," she whispered through a yawn.

Bastion smiled. "Only if it's a bad thing that one falls asleep during one of Professor Stein's incredibly dry lectures..."

Violet blinked. "Oh, that was a class? I thought it was time they gave you to nap... whoops."

Jaden, remarkably, had stayed awake through this. "Man, Dad is so cool!"

Alexis grinned. "Yeah, Jaden. Thanks to him, it looks like Slade and Jagger won't be able to do any more harm to anyone."

The judge was gone for almost an hour before she returned from chambers. "All rise!" the bailiff called.

The judge entered and again everyone stood up and then sat down. "Ladies and gentlemen, this has been a rare case in my experience where family court and criminal court coincide. And therefore, my ruling will be unusual...It is this justice's opinion that the individuals known as Slade and Jagger Princeton are unfit to take care of the minor known as Charles Xavier Princeton. Further, said individuals, due to the evidence in front of me, will now be placed under arrest for child abuse and endangerment and assault and battery on the aforementioned minor, Charles Xavier Princeton." At this, Jagger Princeton blew.

"YOU SON OF A XXXXX!" he shouted, launching himself at Hisoka. The bailiff moved but wouldn't get close enough quickly. Bastion Misawa however was closer. He launched himself over the courtroom railing, pivoted and kicked Jagger in the gut. Hisoka hadn't been expecting such a violent reaction, and likely would have been tackled had Bastion not intervened. Slade was also shocked at his brother's behavior, getting up from his seat with wide eyes. Before anyone else from the front row could join Bastion, however, the bailiff managed to get hold of the violent Princeton brother.

"YOU LITTLE JERK!" Jagger shouted. By this time, the judge had called for backup, and three armed police officers charged into the courtroom and restrained the younger Princeton brother and removed him from the courtroom.

"I am adding an additional charge of disturbing the peace to Jagger Princeton's list," the judge said drily. "Good going, young man..."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Bastion said. "Just protecting my friend's father..." He went and sat down by Violet.

"Bastion, what the heck?" Jaden asked, eyes wide.

"I couldn't allow that." Bastion took a deep breath. "Never underestimate the quiet British kid, Jaden..."

Hisoka sent Bastion a grateful nod and Slade was led out of the room by the bailiff. Violet practically tackle-hugged her fiancé. "Bastion-baby, you rock so hard! Brains and brawn, woot!!" she cheered happily.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Good going, Bastion. At least she didn't kiss you on citywide tele-" However, it seemed that she spoke too soon, for Violet kissed him squarely on the lips.

"Um...actually, Lex, it's nationwide," Jaden said. At least one major cable channel had covered the trial as it was a slow news day and caught the kiss. When Bastion and Violet finally broke apart, Bastion the Hero had been seen in four time zones.

"Darling, that was...Jaden, hang on...did you...say...nationwide?" the teen genius asked, stunned.

"Yup!" Jaden said cheerfully.

"Oh, my..." The young man blushed deep.

"Is everybody done down there?" the judge asked good-naturedly. The kids quickly sat down. "Now that we're calmed down...Would John Patrick Rhodes and Jean Louise Rhodes please approach the bench?" Violet grinned as she sat down, eyes glittering with mischief. Alexis tried to stifle her giggles as her parents walked up to the bench. Atticus was busy sending Bastion a rather discreet thumbs-up.

Bastion caught the thumbs up and winked back at his friend. "Thanks," he mouthed, holding Violet's hand. "There has been a petition made on behalf of Charles Princeton. Did you request to take custody of the boy?" the judge asked the two parents.

Jack nodded. "Yes, Your Honor."

"Well, then...it is my judgment, after seeing your children and how you took the boy in and protected him without hesitation, that your home is the best place for the boy to be...Also, he sent a letter telling me what he would like..." Jack smiled happily, glad that they'd finally gained legal custody, while the teens in the front row silently cheered.

In the hospital, Chazz sat up in bed. "She's going to read it!"

Syrus hugged Annie in celebration. "This is so great!"

"Yeah! Oh, she's reading it!" Annie said happily.

"To whom it may concern," Judge Robinson read, "My name is Charles Xavier Princeton and I just turned 17. I've never really had a family that loved me and accepted me until now. The men who were once my brothers were mean and enjoyed hurting me. I thought that was love until recently. But in the past few days, I found a family that does love me. If it's possible, I would like to be adopted by John Patrick and Jean Louise Rhodes and be their son and be the brother of Atticus and Alexis Rhodes. They're the family I've never had and I want them to be...if they'll have me. I would also like to formally change my last name to Rhodes. Yours respectfully, Charles Xavier Princeton, hoping to be Charles Xavier Rhodes," she finished reading, taking a breath.

"I am inclined to grant all of his requests and your petition," Judge Robinson said. "Charles Xavier Princeton will, from this day forward be known as Charles Xavier Rhodes and be the legal son of John and Jean Rhodes. Thank you everyone..."

Almost the entire court room cheered, Alexis and Atticus running over to hug their parents happily. Hisoka smiled, glad that things had turned out right.

"YAY DAD!" Jaden shouted happily, running through the crowd and tackling his father. "Wow! You WON! SWEET!"

Hisoka laughed and hugged his son. "Yes, Jaden, but it wasn't I who won. It was the Rhodes family, including Chazz." Jack hugged two out of his three children, tears of joy in his eyes.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Chazz pumped his fist triumphantly. "YES! I AM CHAZZ RHODES!"

"Congratulations, Chazz!" Annie said, getting Sy to help her out of bed so she could go give the other boy a big hug.

"Congratulations, Chazz! Now we won't have to worry about those two ever again!!" Syrus cheered happily, hugging him as well. For once, Chazz didn't push the two away with his usual nonchalance.

"Yeah... it's over...and...hey, we need to have a party!"

"Oh, yeah!" Annie said. "When everybody gets here and Violet's done with her counseling, we can have a big party and then you can go home with your mom and dad!"

"That sounds so good," the raven-headed boy said, sinking into his pillows in relief.

"This is gonna be great," added Syrus, smiling.

Back in the court room, most of the spectators had filed out, leaving the group of teens and adults. "We should go to the hospital and congratulate Chazzy!" stated Violet, grinning.

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, he must have seen the whole thing on TV."

"Yeah, this is SWEET!" Jaden crowed again.

Scout pulled two of her now three kids close. "That was the weirdest thing since the OJ trial in LA..."

"I don't think we were even born yet, Scout," Bastion pointed out.

"Oh, no...you weren't even gleams in your daddies' eyes yet, any of you," Scout said. "But that was very weird..."

"Hey, guys, it's over!" Kisara said, making her way up to the group.

"Oh, hey, Kisara," Scout said. "Yeah...we've got our boy...and we may be able to take him home tonight..."

"Wonderful...I'm going straight home to call the gang...if they haven't seen it..."

"Oh, okay! See you later, then," Scout said, and Kisara disappeared into the crowd.

Everyone piled into their different cars and made their way to the hospital. "Violet, darling, are you all right?" Bastion asked. Violet had gone rather quiet after everything was over and he was a bit worried.

Violet had been staring at her hands, deep in thought with a frown on her face. At the question her head snapped up, eyes filled with worry. "I, uh, well..."she mumbled, fists clenching nervously.

"You're nervous about this afternoon, aren't you?" Bastion was referring to the counseling session that Violet had at 1:00 that day. "I'll be right with you..."

Violet's frown deepened and she returned her gaze to her hands. "Bastion, I...I'm scared. I know everyone says this time will be different, but...counselors always made me nervous in school. And whenever I went to one, things just got worse..."

"Darling..." Bastion said softly as they got to the car, "Violet love, we have to hope that Kisara has gotten you a good one...and she has promised that you'll see a good one when you go back to Ohio...Apparently, she's had dealings as well..."

Violet sighed and nodded. "Yeah, probably for the bad stuff that she mentioned. I'll do it, Bastion, since it might help..."

"All right, darling...and I'll be with you every step of the way..." he said, squeezing her hand.

A short time later, everyone was back together in the hospital room. "LEX! ATTY! OUCH!" Chazz yelped as he was bear-hugged.

"Kids, gentle with your brother! We want to bring him home today!" Scout scolded.

Jack laughed and placed an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Oh, honey, they're just excited is all. But do be gentle, kids." Alexis and Atticus grinned and released their brother, staying by his bedside.

"So, Chazzy, how does it feel to be a Rhodes??" Violet asked, smiling.

"Uh...it feels great...and it feels a million times better than being a Princeton! Oh, one other thing...I still have control of my trust fund and that means...Mom, Dad, bro, sis...we can do a lot of stuff together! And Mom and Dad, one of you could quit your job if you wanted to..."

Jack smiled. "That's kind of you, son. But Scout and I, we love doing our jobs. Besides, that way we can save the extra money for emergencies," he explained.

Alexis smiled. "But we can still do stuff when you and Annie get out of the hospital. All of us can."

"All right...hey, we need to have a party tonight! Dinner's on me!" Chazz said happily. "Oh...I need to call my stockbroker...and sell my stock in Princeton Corp to the Kaibas..."

"Huh?" Jaden asked.

"I own a third of the company and if the shareholders sell to the Kaibas, they can buy those two out!"

"Woot! Party!!" cheered Violet excitedly.

"Great idea, bro," replied Alexis, grinning.

"Tonight's gonna be great!" Syrus added happily.

"Yeah..." Annie said happily. "Wow, Bastion...question..."

"Yes?"

"How the heck did you do that thing in the courtroom? That was incredible!"

"Um...I do a great deal of training in the school gymnasium with the gymnastics equipment..."

"Oh...wait a minute, I saw you! You were wearing one of those special male leotards!"

Half of the room snickered at the comment, a light blush flooding Violet's face. "Bastion-baby in a leotard??" she repeated, blinking. Her creative imagination kicked in, and the blush intensified.

"He actually looked pretty good in that," Annie said.

"You think so?" Bastion asked.

"Well, it does showcase you pretty well," Annie admitted, smiling.

"Uh...What?" Jaden asked.

"Well, if you were in one of those, I'm sure Alexis would like it, Jay," the blue-eyed girl said.

Zane looked at her curiously. "Would you want to see Sy in one of those, Annie?"

Annie blushed. "Um...maybe?"

Syrus blinked and then blushed, turning his gaze to the floor. "Uh..." he mumbled shyly.

"You'd look...nice, Sy," Annie said, also blushing.

"Uh, thanks, Annie."

The group had a good lunch together and then it was 15 minutes to 1:00. "Oh, goodness," Bastion said, looking at the clock. "Violet...we need to be going..."

Violet tensed, her smile faltering and eyes filling with the same worry as earlier. Atticus had forgotten about the counseling. "Where do you guys have to go??" he asked.

"Over to the third floor...Violet's seeing a Doctor Otani, I believe," Bastion answered.

Atticus thought for a moment, and then remembered. "Oh, right! For the counseling. Uh," he sweat-dropped, sensing the bad vibes emanating from Violet.

"It'll be okay, Violet," Annie said soothingly. "Bastion'll be right there with you and we'll be here when you get back. And I'll bet Kisara got the best in the business for you..."

"Yeah, Violet!" Jaden encouraged. "I'll be this doctor's a good guy..."

"Girl, actually, Jaden," Scout said. "I've met her and she's really nice..."

Violet sighed and smiled a bit forcedly. "Thanks, guys. Well...I guess we should go then..." She stood, nervously twisting her hands as she and Bastion left the room.

Bastion lovingly put his arm around her. "Darling...I'm not leaving your side. You're frightened and I wouldn't leave you when you're like that...I wouldn't dream of it...It'll be all right...As long as we're together...it will be..."

Violet leaned into him as they walked, feeling much more relaxed with him beside her. "I know, Bastion...thank you..."she managed to say. It seemed that they reached the third floor far too quickly, and were standing outside Dr. Otani's office.

_And so Violet stands at the door of the office with Bastion, trying to regain her own freedom as Chazz has just gained his. What will happen next time? Stay tuned, read and review! We thank you very much!_


	45. This is Counseling?

Chapter XLV: This is Counseling?

_Welcome back, everyone and we're sorry for the slight delay. Due to editing, it took some time to space out this and the next chapter or two. Anyway, thank you all for your patience. And as always, thank you, readers and reviewers._

_Last time: Domino Family Court determined that duel spirits might just exist, Jagger Princeton's language shocked a nation, Bastion Misawa's brave actions cheered a nation, and Charles Xavier "Chazz" Princeton became Charles Xavier "Chazz" Rhodes. And so, Violet Haverbrook has to face her own pain, at least partway. What will happen now? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach owns Annie. 15animefreak15 owns Violet and Rosa. Together, we own this tale and any other OCs and non-established characters. We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We also don't own any soft drink companies or their wonderful products or anything belonging to any snack company. Thank you for your attention. Now…please don't sue us…**_

As Bastion and Violet stood in front of the door to the counselor's office at Domino Children's Hospital, he put his arm warmly around her. "It's all right," he soothed lovingly. They entered the warm-looking office where soft instrumental music was playing.

"Hello," the secretary, a tall young black man with a shaved head said in a calm voice, "are you here to see Doctor Otani?"

Violet nodded. "Uh, yeah," she replied nervously.

"All right...and this young man is..?"

"Bastion Misawa, I'm her fiancé...is it all right if I go in with Violet?"

"If it's all right with you, Violet, he can," the secretary said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'd be more comfortable if he did..." She rubbed her upper arm and bit her bottom lip.

"Okay, then...I'll let the doctor know you're here...Do you have a favorite soda pop you like to drink? Either of you?"

Violet blinked, taken a little off-guard by the question. "Huh? Oh, uh...Mountain Dew, I guess..."

"Uh...I'd like a Mr. Pibb, if you have it," Bastion said, also surprised.

"All right," the young man said and headed back into the office. He came back shortly thereafter. "Karen's ready for you..."

"C'mon, darling...it'll be all right," Bastion whispered.

Violet nodded, and the two entered the other room where Dr. Karen Otani was waiting for them. The kids entered an office that had a huge bookshelf filled with books, magazines and what appeared to be comic books. There was also an overstuffed leather couch and a chair that matched. And there was a huge oak desk and a plump Asian woman was sitting behind it. Her dark hair was cut short and she had a happy expression on her face. "Hi," she said, coming out from behind the desk. "You must be Violet," she greeted, holding out her hand for the girl to shake.

Violet blinked, as the room looked more relaxing than the others she'd been in for counseling. And the counselor actually looked glad to see her. "Uh, yeah, hi," she greeted. It was one of the few times in her life that she revealed her inner shyness as she shook the woman's hand.

"And who is this young man?" she asked, also shaking Bastion's hand.

"Uh, Bastion Misawa. Pleased to meet you, Doctor Otani..."

"Oh, call me Karen...Okay, who had the Mountain Dew?"

"Uh, me," Violet mumbled, not making eye contact with Karen.

"And who had the Mr. Pibb?"

"That would be me," Bastion said, and Karen handed them each cans of their soda. She also had a can of Diet Cherry Coke. "Well, why don't we just sit down and talk for a bit and get to know each other? Kisara told me you're quite a wonderful young woman, Violet..."

Violet sat down on the couch, fingering the can awkwardly. "Well, that was nice of her. She's a good person, too..." she replied, not used to the situation. The counselors always got straight to the point, never bothering to have simple off-topic conversation.

"Yeah, everybody who knows Kisara thinks she's great...except for people who get on her bad side...But what about you? How old are you, Violet?"

"I'm fifteen. But, I'll be turning sixteen in July..." She just realized that she hadn't really mentioned her upcoming birthday to any of the others.

"Wow, so you'll be sixteen! That's amazing...So you have your learner's permit?"

"Yeah," she answered, a little embarrassed.

"That's nice...And I take it you and Bastion are an item?" Karen asked with a smile.

Violet blushed. "Well, actually, we're engaged now..."

"Oh, congratulations, then! And how old are you, Bastion?"

"I just turned seventeen..."

Violet reached up to prod her necklace a little. "He gave me this as an engagement present...instead of a ring..."

Karen moved a little closer. "May I see it? It looks lovely..."

Violet didn't want to take it off-- not having done so since she put it on-- so instead leaned over towards Karen. The crystal Watapon hung down, sapphire eyes shimmering a little in the light.

"Oh my...this is a Watapon, isn't it?" Karen asked, looking delighted.

Violet nodded, making the Watapon bounce a little. "Yeah...it's my favorite Duel Monster," she explained, leaning back again.

"Well, I think he's one of the cutest duel monsters! I got to know about the monsters when I was in school," Karen grinned. "And it helps when I have duelists come in here to talk."

Violet smiled a little, feeling more comfortable than she ever had in a counselor's office. It felt more like she was having a nice talk with one of her mom's friends. "Anyway...Where do you kids go to school?"

"We both go to Duel Academy," Violet answered.

"Oh...that sounds like a great school. You get to study and duel too, huh?" Karen probed.

Bastion nodded. "That we do...Violet would probably say that I study a bit too hard...right, darling?"

"Well, you do spend most of your time either in the classroom, your dorm, or the library. Not to mention how much you draw on your walls..."

Bastion laughed. "I do have those tendencies...but Violet, you have made certain I've done that a great deal less lately..."

"Well, too much studying can be bad for you," Karen grinned. "So, everybody has a cute 'how we met' story...Violet? How did you two meet and start dating?"

"Well...I first met Bastion when I came to Duel Academy. Everyone thinks that I met Annie first, but I actually met him. See, it was my first day, and I was kinda lost..." And Violet quickly told the story of how she and Bastion had met in a classroom and become good friends.

" And so we became friends. The next year we planned a movie night. That's how most of us ended up getting together...including Bastion and me," Violet finished, hugging Bastion's arm.

"I was rather intrigued at seeing a chick flick...one of our friends wasn't, but...I believe he was rather happy at the outcome," Bastion added.

"That's so sweet," Karen said. "So, who's Annie?"

"Annie Hanson, she's my best friend. I'm not sure if you heard, but she's the one who was recently diagnosed with the heart condition. Kisara helped take care of her," Violet explained, frowning.

"Oh, dear...Kisara did mention you had a friend in the hospital...or two," Karen said carefully. "Tell me a bit about her if you don't mind, Violet..."

"Well, she's really nice and caring. Though, she can be a bit shy and had low self-esteem when we first met. I think I'm rubbing off on her, though, because she's a lot more outgoing now. But even back then, we were both mischief-makers at Duel Academy," Violet grinned.

"Oh, really? I love hearing about pranks," Karen said, "and since I'm legally bound not to say anything, you can rest assured that I won't tell your teachers! Do tell!"

"Well...this one time I dumped out Dr. Crowler's shampoo bottle and refilled it with green hair dye. He didn't even realize it until the entire class had seen and couldn't stop laughing."

"Oh, my! That must've been something!"

"Oh, it was!" Bastion grinned. "Dr. Crowler is a rather...eccentric teacher and somewhat mean occasionally, so pranking him can be...enjoyable."

"Oh, that sounds great! Now...what about your other friend that's here...Chazz, is it?"

"Well, my first year at the school, he seemed kind of rude. And he was always flirting with us girls-- especially Alexis. But then he left, and later on in our first year, returned. He was still kind of cocky, but nicer. Right now he's one of the nicest guys you might meet, even though he can be a bit too sarcastic sometimes."

"So...how did he end up in the hospital?" Karen asked.

Violet shifted a little uncomfortably in her seat. "Well, his brothers kind of...injured him," she replied, sighing. It was hard replacing the word that hurt with one that made sense.

"Injured? Violet...what happened, exactly?" Karen asked gently. She'd been filled in, but needed to see what happened.

"I wasn't there, but Alexis and the others filled us in. They'd gone to breakfast, and then his brothers came over. They went outside to talk, and then Jaden and the others found him in an alley next to the restaurant."

Bastion gripped Violet's hand. "Karen...Violet doesn't want to say the actual word...it makes her upset..."

"What's the word? Violet...tell me, please, sweetie..." Karen coaxed.

Violet swallowed and squeezed Bastion's hand. "B...b-bea...beat." One side of her face went bright red, and she immediately buried her entire face into Bastion's shoulder.

"Oh, my...Violet, let me see your face..." Karen had seen. "Bastion, has this happened before..."

His face got cloudy. "Her ex...was abusive," he said tightly. "Violet darling, please let her see," he said softly.

Violet bit her bottom lip and pulled away from him, forcing herself to face Karen with her eyes glued to the floor. Her right cheek was still red, though it had dulled down a bit. It kind of looked like she was blushing on only one side of her face.

"Violet...does this happen when you think of...the guy and hear that word?" Karen asked.

"Y-Yeah...I used to have nightmares and it'd happen, too. But...recently, those have stopped."

"Oh? When did they stop?"

"Well, after I told my friends about it and went back to Bastion's house to rest. I was sick and fell asleep, but this time the nightmare ended differently...after that, I haven't had it since."

"That's good...then that means less that we have to talk about..." They talked for a few minutes more and then Karen said, "Oh, time's up...Violet, I'd like to see you again really soon... Would that be all right?"

Violet blinked in surprise. The meeting had gone by faster than she'd expected. "Uh, yeah, sure. But...Bastion and I are going to be leaving in about a week."

"Oh, a week? Going home for the rest of the summer, Violet?" Karen grinned.

"Well, we are going to come back about a week before school starts again. So we can catch up with everyone."

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Karen said happily. "And where will Bastion be in all of this?"

"He's gonna be with me! It'll be so much fun!!" Violet cheered, throwing her arms around him happily.

"Oh, really?" Karen asked. "Bastion, you're meeting her parents?"

"Yes, Karen, and I'm delighted to meet them...I want to meet the people who brought me Violet; without them, she wouldn't be here..."

Violet blushed. "It's only fair. I mean, I got to meet the people who brought Bastion into the world."

"Well...that is fabulous, both of you...I'll see you in a couple of days, Violet and Bastion...go have fun and enjoy yourselves," Karen said, shaking their hands again. "Bye, now."

"Thank you, Karen," Bastion said. "Are you all right, darling?" he asked as they left the office.

"Yeah, thanks, Karen! Bye!!" called Violet as they left. When they were back out in the hallway again, she hugged Bastion. "Bastion-baby...that was the, well...easiest counseling I've ever had."

"Really? They don't talk to you like Karen does?"

Violet pulled away and shook her head. "No...when I used to go to school counselors, they'd immediately ask what was wrong. I'd tell them, and usually whatever they tried to do about it only made things worse. Not only that. They were never as nice as Karen, and the rooms were never as...comfortable," she explained, frowning. The whole meeting had been exactly the opposite of what she'd been expecting.

"Oh...I see...well, I walked by the counseling offices when I was at Hawking and they didn't look friendly at all...the Duel Academy counseling offices looked more friendly, but...still, they're too...sterile and unfriendly," Bastion concluded.

They had been walking as they talked, at the moment going down a flight of stairs to the second floor. "Yeah...I thought this was going to be the same way. That's why I was...so nervous," Violet admitted.

"Well...I'm glad it wasn't that way this time, Violet love..." He bent down and kissed her softly. "And...I'll keep going with you, if you want me to...and that goes for Ohio as well."

She blushed and giggled. "Thanks, Bastion-baby. That makes me feel a lot safer...and don't think I'm going to let you do all the kissing!!" Violet shouted, reaching up to kiss him and wrap her arms around his neck.

Fortunately, by this time, they were on a landing and Bastion lifted her up so her toes weren't touching the ground. Violet was in pure bliss as she tightened her hold on Bastion, both apparently forgetting they'd need oxygen again soon. It also seemed that they had gone into their own world, since neither heard the approaching footsteps on the stairs.

"Oh, Violet, you're done with your counseling...I guess it went well," Kisara Kaiba said, rather surprised.

"Oh, goodness!" Bastion said, breaking the kiss, yet keeping his hold on Violet.

A strong blush flooded her face and she sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly at the doctor. "Uh...yeah, Karen's really nice..."she replied, embarrassed.

Kisara smiled. "I'm glad you liked her. I thought she might be a good fit for you, Violet...and don't be embarrassed, either of you...you're not the first ones to be caught here..."

Violet's eyes widened. "We're not??"

Kisara grinned. "Seto and I had our first kiss here...The chief surgeon caught us..."

"Whoops. Looks like you can even lose some control in hospitals." Violet giggled a little, then realized that Bastion was still holding her. "Uh, Bastion-baby, you can put me down if you want..."

Bastion, flushing slightly, did. "Seto kissed you here for the first time?"

"He did..." Kisara said. "Anyway...yes, control can be lost...Now, I'll bet you want to hang out with your friends...Chazz was just discharged and he's going to hang out here the rest of the day with everyone and he's figuring out what everyone will have for dinner."

"Oh, my..." Bastion said.

Precisely at that moment, Violet's stomach growled. "Eh?! I can't believe it's already hungry! We just ate lunch a little while ago..." She frowned and prodded her stomach, evoking another low growl.

"Go on, then...we had snacks brought in..." Kisara directed them out of the stairwell, and proceeded upstairs to where she needed to go. Bastion and Violet headed down the hallway, meanwhile.

"Goodness...who would have thought that the Kaibas...oh well...let's get some snacks, shall we?" Bastion asked.

"Sounds great! I'm going to get there first!!" she shouted, starting to run. They were only a few feet away from the room, so it wasn't much of a race, anyway. Violet threw open the door and jumped inside, holding up the peace sign. "Hey, guys! You miss me??"

"VIOLET!" Annie squealed. "It went okay, didn't it?"

Bastion smiled. "You should see Karen's office! And she has sodas..."

"Lucky!" Annie said.

"Cool!" Jaden said.

Violet grinned. "Yeah, it was pretty cool. We ran into Kisara on the way back and...she said you guys had snacks."

Syrus laughed a little, seeing the resemblance to Jaden. "Yeah, they're on that table right there," he replied, pointing.

"Everybody convinced me not to eat all the chocolate cake," Jaden grinned.

"Wonderful! Doritos!" Bastion said, taking a bag of the nacho cheese flavored chips.

"And Fritos!" Annie grinned.

"And potato chips!" Chazz grinned.

"Don't spoil your dinner, Chazz," Scout warned.

"Yes, Mom..."

Violet sweat-dropped. "Really? I must have forgotten to mention that I don't like cake...I don't mind if Jaden eats the rest," she explained, grabbing some Doritos as well.

Alexis was surprised. "You don't like cake?? Well, that's surprising..."

"YAY!" Jaden yelled, dive-bombing the cake and getting frosting and cake all over his face.

"Oh, lord..." groaned Zane again.

"How does he do that without choking?" Annie asked in amazement.

"Darned if I know," Chazz said, now dressed in a simple white t-shirt, elastic banded blue shorts and black flip-flops.

Syrus' eyes widened. "The same way Violet does that," he stated, pointing again. She had opened the bag and basically dumped all of the contents into her mouth, chewing a few times before swallowing.

Violet blinked when she noticed the staring. "What?? I'm hungry..."

"Violet...we just wonder how you and Jay can do that without requiring the Heimlich maneuver..." Annie said in awe.

"Yeah..." Bastion added. "Quite fascinating..."

"I don't know how I do it...I just do it," Jaden explained, cheeks looking like a chipmunk's.

Violet thought for a few moments. "Well, I guess it requires a big mouth, a big appetite, and..." She shrugged. "Maybe our throats have more room or something," she offered.

Alexis sighed. "Well, we should probably lay off any more snacks until dinner. Mom's right...don't want to spoil our appetite."

"This is gonna be one heck of a party!" Chazz said happily. "And my bro and I will Chatticus you guys up when it comes to food!"

"Um...Chatticus?" Bastion asked, puzzled.

"They said that the other day," Jaden clarified.

"It's their new word," added Alexis, sweat-dropping.

Atticus grinned and threw an arm around his brother. "Little bro's right! We're gonna rock this hospital room!!" he said, grinning. Violet pumped her fist into the air excitedly. "Woot! Partay!!" she cheered.

"Wow..." Annie said. "This is the 'Getting out of the hospital and DING DONG THE JERKS ARE IN THE SLAMMER' party! And I have just the song! I wish I had my iPod..."

Violet pouted. "Oh, me, too! I have some great party songs..."she replied. Atticus thought for a moment. "Maybe I could go pick them up for you girls. We need party music, anyway!"

"Could you?" Annie asked. "Zane, mine's in the guest room!" "Violet, darling, where's your iPod?" Bastion asked.

Zane nodded. "Okay, Annie, I'll get it..."

"It's on the table in the guest room. You should be able to find it...it's PINK!!" she shouted, grinning. "Hey, Bastion, I can drive you there so you can get it," offered Atticus.

"Thank you, Atticus...Better to carpool," Bastion said.

"Hey, no prob, Bastion! Anyway, we should go. That way we'll have plenty of time to set-up the rest of the party!! Right, little bro?" Atticus explained, grinning.

"Yeah! Hey, could you guys stop and get hats and noisemakers? I've never had those at a party," Chazz asked.

"Chazz..." Scout said, thinking of hospital regulations.

"Please, Mom?" Chazz begged.

"Oh, all right..."

"Yes!"

"You've never had noisemakers?" Jaden asked.

"Nope... and now I can!"

"COOL!" Annie squealed.

"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Zane groaned.

"Aw, cheer up, Zane! Turn that frown upside-down!!" Atticus coaxed, prodding his best friend's cheek. Violet giggled. "Stop being so serious all the time! Even Bastion can lighten up," she joked.

"Do you really know what it's like to have Atticus in a party store?" Zane countered.

Violet leaned back in her chair and shrugged. "Can't be as bad as Haylee on a sugar rush...or Bobby...or Dad," she replied simply.

Atticus sighed. "Come on, Zane. I promise not to go TOO crazy, alright??"

"All right... Bastion?"

"Yes, Zane?"

"Be prepared to knock him out, okay?"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously..."

"Do I even want to know?" Annie wondered.

Atticus rolled his eyes. "Okay, so ONE time I tried filling a piñata with helium!" he admitted, pouting.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Yeah, that's my older brother, all right."

Scout started to snicker. "Mom?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah, Scout, what?" Jaden wondered.

"He and Zane talked like chipmunks for an hour!"

All eyes were on Zane. "That was...your fifth birthday, right, Atticus?"

"Yup! That was a fun one!!" Atticus grinned. "Man, now I'm psyched to get to that party store! Come on, guys!!" he exclaimed. Atticus grabbed Zane and Bastion, half-dragging them out of the room.

"Bye, Bastion-baby!" called Violet, waving.

"See you in a bit, Violet...Um...who's the safer driver?" Bastion asked, remembering how Chazz and Jaden had looked, coming back to the hospital the first full day Annie had been there.

"That would be me..." Zane said.

Atticus frowned as they "walked" down the hallway. "Hey, you guys aren't NOT gonna let me drive, are you??" he asked.

"If we want to live," Zane grinned, "I'm driving..."

_So Violet's counseling session ended well, and the group will be celebrating. But first, Bastion, Atticus and Zane must go to…THE PARTY STORE! Next time… "Silly String and iPod Search!" Read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	46. Silly String and iPod Search

Chapter XLVI: Silly String and iPod Search!

_Hello again, everyone! Welcome to the 46__th__ chapter of _Summer Love, Summer Fears._ We thank you again, dear readers and reviewers, for staying with us through this tale. It is getting to the halfway point, and we hope you'll stay with us all the way to the end of this tale. So, thank you again for your reviews and we hope you laugh a lot this chapter. There will be chapters later that may make you cry a little, but that's not for a bit._

_So last time, Violet went to a counselor, she and Bastion kissed in the stairwell and were caught by Kisara. And then the group began to pull together a party to celebrate Chazz's freedom. And Zane, Atticus and Bastion decided to head out to get party supplies and Annie and Violet's iPods. What will happen at the party store and as the boys get the iPods? Read and see…_

_**Disclaimer: We own nothing but our OCs, this storyline and our own versions of the Yugi-verse…We wish we owned Apple Corporation…We'd be rich beyond the dreams of avarice…**_

_**Warning: There is a Bastion in here that has a majorly tickled funny bone. This might be considered OOC. We apologize if you are offended in any way. Thank you.**_

Atticus sighed. "Oh, all right. You guys are no fun at all." By now they were outside, and he stopped since he didn't know where Zane's car was.

"This way," Zane said. "I just got it from what I saved from my pro league wins." "It" was the latest cherry red Ford Mustang. "You like?" he asked as they walked up to it.

"Wow..." Bastion said, impressed.

Atticus threw his hands into the air. "Holy moly! This thing's awesome, Zane!!" he shouted, grinning excitedly.

"Glad you approve!" Zane said, getting in the driver's seat. "Now should we go to the Party Emporium or Doopy McPhoo's?"

Atticus hopped into the passenger seat and laughed. "I say Doopy McPhoo's!"

"All right...I second that motion," Bastion said.

"Why am I not surprised?" Zane wondered aloud as they buckled up and he drove out of the hospital parking lot. "We'll stop at the store and then get the iPods..."

Atticus grinned and waved his arms around, the wind blasting his hair since the top of the convertible was down. "This rocks!!" he yelled.

Zane and Bastion both grinned. "This is bloody brilliant!" Bastion shouted.

"Yeah, I know!" Zane answered, turning on his satellite radio and blasting 1990s music.

"Oh yeah! Wooo!!" shouted Atticus. Half an hour passed by like five minutes, and soon they had reached the party store.

"All right, this is...rather unusual," Bastion said. There were Jesus action figures with Buddha action figures in the shop window.

"Yeah...it's supposed to be one of the craziest shops in town," Zane said. "And we have one of the craziest duelists in town with us," he sighed, looking back at Atticus.

Atticus was already out of the car, racing towards the entrance. "I'm gonna get there first!"

"Oh, lord..." Zane groaned.

"You certainly say that a lot, don't you?" Bastion asked.

"When he's your best friend...yeah...it's become my catch phrase..." Zane sighed.

Atticus poked his head outside, having made it into the store. "Hey, guys! Come on already!!"

Zane looked at Bastion and they both charged in. "God help us if he finds..." And then the boys found themselves covered in... "The silly string," Zane sighed.

Atticus was laughing like crazy. "Ha ha! I totally got you guys!!" It was amazing how fast he could run to the silly string aisle, purchase it, then get back in time to spray the two.

"I knew he shouldn't have eaten all those Oreos," Zane sighed.

"You think?" Bastion asked, a little bit frustrated. Finally they corralled Atticus and did their shopping. It took an hour because the store had given away free samples of confetti.

The trio finally made it to the checkout counter, both Zane and Bastion covered in pieces of confetti. "That was so awesome! We have to do this again, guys!!" Atticus grinned.

"Bastion?"

"Yes, Zane, old boy?"

"Do you think we can get Violet to shoot him with that pink bazooka?"

Atticus sweat-dropped. "Hey, come on, guys! I was just havin' some fun...no need to make me go through that again, right? Right??"

Zane and Bastion shared a slightly maniacal look. "I don't know...she could load it with poi and then we could go to a luau with him as a side dish," Bastion said mock-seriously.

"Might be good," Zane agreed, also mock-seriously.

Atticus' eyes widened. "Ah! Cannibals!!" he yelled, running out of the store.

"He can be so stupid sometimes," Zane sighed. "That's why it's fun to tease him..."

"I see what you mean, Zane," Bastion said as they left the store. They found Atticus next to the car.

Atticus frowned and pointed at the door. "It's locked," he stated simply, even though he could have hopped right over it into the convertible.

"Um...Atticus...you could've just jumped in, you know," Zane said, with an expression of long-suffering patience. Bastion started cracking up at this.

"Huh? But then I'd be carjacking," Atticus replied, appalled.

Bastion fell over, laughing. "ARE YOU BLOODY SERIOUS? ZANE, WHERE HAS THIS GUY BEEN ALL MY LIFE?"

"Uh...what?" Zane asked, understandably disturbed at seeing the normally unflappable Bastion laughing hysterically.

Atticus was as confused as Violet had been when Zane laughed at her antics. "Uh...Zane? Is Bastion okay??"

"Oh...oh, bloody sorry, guys! Oh...Atticus...you are just hilarious!" Bastion exclaimed once he could breathe again.

"Oh...we thought you'd gone off the deep end, Bastion," Zane said.

Atticus blinked and walked over by Bastion, feeling around with his feet. After a few moments, he turned to look at Zane with a confused expression. "There's a deep end? Where??"

"Oh, my!" Bastion laughed again. "He's even funnier than Jaden!"

"He is?" Zane asked, puzzled.

"Well, thanks, Bastion. Even if I don't get what's so funny," Atticus said, smiling.

"Just get in the car, Atticus," Zane sighed again. "Move it, Bastion..."

"Coming," Bastion said, getting in and buckling up.

"All righty!" Atticus, to the shock of the others, hopped over the car door and buckled in.

Bastion whispered to Zane, "He thought that was carjacking?"

"Yeah...don't know why, though..."

Atticus frowned, getting bored quickly. So, to pass the time while his friends whispered, he punched the car's horn. BEEEEEEP!! And Bastion and Zane yelled in alarm, their hair standing on end. Zane turned and gave his best friend the infamous glare of death.

Atticus sweat-dropped and sank down in his seat, grinning sheepishly. "Whoops...heh..."

"Let's just head and get the iPods, okay?" Zane asked. "Where to first?"

Bastion thought a moment. "Whose house is closest to the hospital?"

"I'm pretty sure Zane's is," Atticus replied, thinking.

"Okay, then mine; It will only take a minute. I know where Violet stashed her iPod," Bastion said.

"All right then, let's go!" shouted Atticus, grinning.

And so they drove sedately through the streets to Bastion's house. "Thanks, Zane...be back in a minute," the boy called as he headed to the door. Bastion headed into the house and up the stairs to the guestroom. His mother wasn't home... 'She's at the arboretum or shopping at this time of the afternoon...' He went to the bureau and sure enough, Violet's iPod was sitting there. 'Excellent!' Bastion grabbed it and headed back out. "Got it!" he said as he jumped in the car.

"All right! On to Zane's house!! Mush!" Atticus yelled excitedly.

"Bastion, make a note...if he asks to watch 'Snow Dogs,' have Violet get the bazooka..."

Atticus crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "You never let me have any fun."

"Then stop treating me like a Malamute husky!"

Atticus snickered. "But you look just like one! Doesn't he, Bastion?"

"Um...what?" Bastion asked, puzzled.

Atticus frowned. "Doesn't Zane look like a husky??"

"Um...no?" Bastion was very puzzled.

Zane sighed and yelled, "NO 'SNOW DOGS' FOR YOU! Besides, that movie sucked..."

Atticus pouted again, glaring at the windshield. "...I still say you look like one."

"Atticus, do you want to go to your room?" Zane yelled, exasperated.

The surfer Obelisk blinked. "I have a room in the car??"

"I'll take you home and tell your dad why!"

"Aw, Zane, come on! I was just joking!! You really need to lighten up." A thought came to Atticus. "Why is it that Violet can make you laugh and I can't??"

"I'm immune to your effects after all these years," Zane said drily.

Bastion, however, was laughing. "I'm not..."

Atticus frowned. "Glad I can make someone laugh." Suddenly, he smirked, and then poked Zane in the ribs.

Fortunately, they had arrived at the Truesdale residence, because Zane doubled over laughing. "OH MAN!!" he laughed, until tears were rolling down his face.

Atticus was laughing half as hard, glad he had finally gotten his best friend to loosen up. "Looks like I can still make you laugh, Zane!"

Zane caught his breath. "Out of the car, both of you..." He had a slightly crazed look in his eyes. Atticus unbuckled himself and climbed out, standing on the driveway with his hands on his hips proudly. Zane looked at Bastion and the two tackled Atticus, tickling him like crazy.

Atticus was caught completely off-guard, and stood no chance in the two-against-one battle. Within seconds he was laughing hysterically, eyes watering. "G-Guys-- ha ha-- st-stop already-- ha ha ha!"

"I have wanted to do that for years!" Zane crowed as he released.

"Pleasure to be of service," Bastion said, grinning. The three boys got up and headed into the house.

Zane moved up the stairs to the red guestroom with the others in tow. "Okay...Annie's iPod," he said.

Atticus glanced around the room, then proceeded to lift the lamp. "Hello? You under here, iPod??"

Bastion looked, too. "Um...Atticus...she wouldn't be storing it under the lamp, you know." Zane muffled a laugh.

Atticus dropped the lamp and frowned. "And just how would you know she wouldn't do that? I thought Sy was her boyfriend," he countered.

"She'd break the iPod," Zane groaned.

But Atticus had lost interest in the conversation, busy lifting the covers of the bed. "Where is it..?"

Zane moved over to Annie's favorite purple backpack. Sure enough... "Found it...it was in her backpack..."

"Oh, she uses this to avoid tardies...she also says it's a good way to work out..." Bastion said. "She has it filled with thirty pounds worth of books..."

Atticus' eyes widened. "No way! Geez...that girl can lift!!"

"Yes," Bastion said. "She was never late to class all term..."

"Whoa," Zane said, impressed.

"Yes...No wonder Chazz had quite the angry red mark on his face when she slapped his for staring at her...female attributes..."

"That still wasn't as bad as what Violet did to us when she learned about the raid. I couldn't feel my legs for hours," groaned Atticus, grimacing at the memory.

"I...believe I came off better...and didn't you run into a wall?" Bastion asked. Zane laughed.

Atticus' frowned. "Yeah...there was nowhere to run and she was launching fiery week-old potatoes at us!"

"She accepted my apology...rather well," Bastion said, blushing.

"Do I even want to know?" Zane asked as they walked out of the room and down the hall.

Atticus smirked and elbowed Bastion playfully. "Did you guys have some fun in the woods??"

"Not exactly..."

--_Flashback, during the movie night—_ "VIOLET DARLING!!"

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO 'VIOLET DARLING' ME, YOU SMUCKING PERVERTED GENIUS!!" Violet yelled. She'd gotten rid of Atticus, and now launched another rotten flaming potato at Bastion.

"Violet, please hear me out!" Bastion pleaded, now cowering.

Violet came to stop, curiosity getting the best of her like it always did. "Fine. Talk, mister," she growled, lowering the bazooka.

"Violet, I'm terribly sorry...I wasn't sure how to find out more about you," Bastion said.

She blinked, surprised. "Find out more about me? Why didn't you just ask??"

"I wasn't sure how to ask...and...well, I wasn't sure how you'd act if I wanted to make our relationship...more than...friendly?" he said with a definite question in his voice.

Violet tilted her head to the side a little, mind processing what he could possibly mean. 'More than friendly? What kind of relationship is stronger than friend-- oh,' she thought. Her eyes widened a little and a blush came to her. "Oh, uh, well..."

"Violet," Bastion said, standing up, "I know that we've been friends for over a year and a half...and I...feel very comfortable with you...and I've probably blown the chance for you to feel that way about me..."

Violet was staring at the ground, uncertain of what to say. 'Should...should I say yes? But...what if it turns out to be a repeat of last time?? Bastion doesn't seem like that kind of guy, though...but then, neither did Mike. I guess...I'll just have to do what my heart thinks,' she thought. "Right," she stated, determination filling her eyes.

"Violet...I understand if I've blown it...and...oh, bother..." Bastion felt like an idiot. "Why did I have to give into Atticus? I've hurt you and I'm sorry...you can...raid my room and steal my boxers and hang them up on the flagpole for all to see...and I'll turn myself in..." Bastion said, meaning every word.

"Huh? What are you talking about?? I never said 'no'..."she stated simply. Then, before he could say anything else, she did what her heart wanted. This consisted of her flinging herself at him and tackling him, sending them both careening down a hill. 'Where'd this smucking hill come from?! I was supposed to kiss him, dang it!!' she thought angrily.

They came to rest rather quickly on a soft patch of grass. "Um...was that a yes, that you want to go out with me, Violet darling?" Bastion asked, stunned.

Violet had ended up on top, and agitatedly blew a strand of purple hair out of her face. "Yes, Bastion. That...was a yes. But it was SUPPOSED to happen like THIS." She lowered her head and-rather than kissing him on the lips like one would suspect, she kissed his nose.

"Oh...okay...well, perhaps you'll allow me to do the real thing at some point?" he asked. "Shall we get up and return to the movie?"

"Sure, sure." She hopped to her feet, then helped her new boyfriend up onto his own. "Think anyone'll get suspicious??"

"Atticus, perhaps," Bastion admitted, resolving to be the best boyfriend he could be to her.

"Bah. Stupid perverted boy," Violet sighed and gave Bastion a quick hug before running back up the hill towards the building. --End Flashback--

"And that's what happened," Bastion said.

Atticus was pouting again. "I can't believe she called me a 'stupid perverted boy'..."

"Well, you certainly act like that at times," Bastion said calmly.

"Yeah, and that's not the first time you've thought of something like a panty raid, pal," Zane grinned.

"Oh, you guys...like you aren't perverted sometimes!" he replied as they got into the car.

"Oh..." the other two rolled their eyes. All too soon, they were back at the hospital and heading upstairs with their bags of party stuff.

"Um, Zane..." Bastion said as they entered the room and everyone snickered.

"What?" Bastion silently pointed to Zane's hair. Zane looked in the mirror. He still had silly string in his hair.

Atticus and Violet were both laughing, while Alexis and Syrus desperately tried to stifle their own giggles. "I hope you saved some silly string for me, guys!" stated Violet.

Annie giggled as did the others. "How did that happen?"

"He ambushed us," Zane said.

"Dude," Chazz said.

"SWEET!" Jaden grinned.

"Man, I wish I had gone! I bet you guys had loads of fun!!" replied Violet.

"Yeah! But I think they got kinda mad at me," stated Atticus, sweat-dropping.

"I'm not surprised. That seems to happen a lot, Atty," Alexis sighed.

"Nice, big bro," Chazz grinned.

_And so the chapter ends with no one dead, and yet we have proof that Atticus Lee Rhodes should never be allowed in a party store alone. Next time, "Yet Another Movie Night!" Chazz decides that a movie is a good way to have fun, in addition to the girls' music and the party stuff. So until then, read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	47. Yet Another Movie Night

Chapter XLVII: Yet Another Movie Night

_Welcome back, GX fans! We are again grateful that you have joined us for another chapter of "Summer Love, Summer Fears," and we thank you again for your reading and reviews!_

_Last time, we found why Atticus should not be allowed near a party store, except with a lot of supervision. We also found out that Annie is a great deal like Hermione Granger in that she has a pack of books slung over her back to avoid being late to class. And so, what will happen at this movie night in the hospital? Read and see!_

_**Legal Stuff: We own nothing but our OCs, this story and this alternate version of the Yugi-verse. Disney/Pixar owns "The Incredibles," which is an excellent movie about family and what married love should be.**_

By this time, the parents had all arrived and were waiting. "Who drove to the store and to the houses?" Will Truesdale asked.

"I did, Dad...We wanted to live..."

"Thank you, Zane..." Scout said.

Jaden whooped happily. "Yeah! We can have fun for the next week!"

"Yeah..." Annie said, wondering when she'd get out of the hospital. Every new attack she had kept her there one day longer. And she was sad.

Syrus noticed Annie's mood change, and hugged her. "Don't worry, Annie. I'm sure they'll let you out soon," he whispered reassuringly.

"Seems like forever," Annie admitted. She brightened abruptly, so as not to down the celebration. "Well, what are we doing tonight? Chazz, Atticus, Alexis...since this party is about you guys being brothers and sister now, you should pick the movie!"

"Umm... How about 'The Incredibles?'" Chazz suggested. "That's a good movie about families; sure, they almost all die but it's good..."

Alexis and Atticus grinned. "I second that!" they both ended up saying simultaneously.

Violet giggled. "It's so cool when people do that..."

"SWEET! I love the explosions!" Jaden said happily.

"Why am I not surprised?" Bastion said.

"He loves them," Jayda said, grinning, "and I like them too!"

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned for what seemed like the millionth time.

Annie also smiled. "I love that movie...and it's so sweet how Mr. and Mrs. Parr are...Oh, have you guys seen the 'Jack-Jack Attack' short?"

Violet grinned. "I did! Glad my sister's not like that," she replied, grimacing.

Syrus nodded. "So did I," he added. Alexis and Atticus had also seen the extra.

Annie started cracking up. "Every time I hear Dies Irae, I start laughing and thinking of Jack-Jack on fire!"

"Have you ever babysat?" Jaden asked Annie.

"No, because I kept passing out...I couldn't do it," she laughed to mask her feelings. "I do find Kari's line funny...'I can take anything this baby can throw...' And then she got him!!"

Violet groaned. "I guess I kind of know how she feels," she stated.

Syrus blinked. "What do you mean, Violet?" he asked curiously.

"When it comes to babysitting anyone in my family, there's one rule. NO. SUGAR. PERIOD. I learned that lesson the hard way the first time I babysat my sister. Yeesh..."

"Oh, that's what Mom and Dad told my babysitters!" Jaden said suddenly.

"That's what we had to do with Sy too," Zane added, grinning and ruffling his brother's blue mop of hair.

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "I guess you have to be careful with how much sugar you give any kid," he replied.

Alexis sighed and glanced from Atticus to Violet to Jaden. "Or teenager," she added.

"What?" Jaden asked innocently. Everyone sweat-dropped. Fortunately, several delivery people arrived with food which occupied everyone for a moment. And then, before the movie, everyone listened and danced to the music on Annie and Violet's iPods. At the moment, they were dancing to "We Like To Party" by the Vengaboys on Violet's iPod. Everyone was dancing happily to the fast beat, Syrus doing his best with Annie by her bed.

Annie grinned when the song ended. "Violet that was cool! I'm getting out of bed for one song and it's an old one! 'Shake Your Groove Thing!!'"

"WHAT?" the kids asked, stunned.

"Has...anybody ever tried disco?" Annie asked shyly.

Violet couldn't help but laugh a little. "I haven't danced disco since my cousin's wedding, like, seven years ago!" she replied, grinning.

"Oh, man! Disco! We were little kids when these songs came out!" Katai grinned looking at the other adults in the room. "Annie, do you know how?"

"Yeah, but...I'm not great...Sy, you game?"

Syrus smiled. "Sure, Annie. I'll try it," he replied.

Violet prodded Bastion. "What about you, Bastion-baby?" she asked.

Bastion smiled and answered, "I've never done it, but Violet...let's do it..."

Jaden grinned. "Lex?"

Alexis laughed softly. "Sure. Why not? I've done crazier things," she answered, smiling.

Atticus grinned. "Wanna give it a try, little bro? I know I'm going to!"

Chazz grinned back, through his bruises and bumps and a cracked rib. "Okay, bro!" And so, the kids got together and did perhaps one of the most hilarious versions of disco dancing ever. Annie and Sy actually managed to do a variation of a dance known as The Hustle in which dancers bumped behinds. Violet had managed to convince Bastion to do the Funky Chicken, which made everyone-- including themselves-- bust up laughing. In the end, everyone tried some kind of strange dance move, Atticus even doing a very painful-looking split, but coming out of it intact.

Annie got Sy to spin her around at one point and she fell over, on top of him. "Oh, crud, Sy, are you all right?!" she yelped.

Syrus was just able to lift his head, a little dazed. "Uh...yeah, Annie...ow," he replied, shaking the dizziness from his head.

"I'm sorry," Annie apologized, helping him up. She looked a little pale, but was smiling as she got back in bed.

Jaden twirled around like a ballet dancer and twirled Alexis, too. "Woo-hoo! That was great!"

Alexis was also a little dizzy from all of the spinning. "Oh, man, Jaden. I can barely stand," she stated, falling against him.

Bastion sighed, laughing a bit at doing the Funky Chicken. "Violet, that was great!"

Violet grinned and kissed Bastion. "I thought you'd like that!"

"Let's watch the dang movie!" Chazz crowed.

"Right!" Violet shouted, dropping into a chair. Syrus took a seat next to Annie on her bed, while Alexis and Atticus sat in two of the remaining chairs. Everyone was able to find a spot by the time Chazz started the movie.

The kids and parents laughed, cried and held hands. "Remember how we met, Hisoka?" Jayda whispered, grinning.

Hisoka smiled and nodded. "You mean when you made a fool of yourself at Domino U to try and impress me and get my attention?" he asked jokingly.

Jayda blushed. "That's why you ended up calling me 'Sugar Jay...' I can't believe I face-planted into the churro stand!"

"But you did manage to get a few free churros for us to share..."

"Yeah," she laughed. "My gymnastics instructor couldn't stop laughing at that..."

Jayda sighed. "But I'm glad I didn't look where I was going...you might not've noticed."

Hisoka grinned. "Jayda, I noticed you every day. It didn't matter if you were doing something crazy or not."

"But you didn't seem to do anything about it until I hit the churros..."

Hisoka's grin turned sheepish. "To tell you the truth, I was nervous. I thought someone as hyper-active and outgoing as you would never go out with a study-hard stiff like me."

"Aw...I thought you were absolutely cute..."

Meanwhile, as the wedding scene at the beginning of the movie, Annie held Sy's hand. "I love weddings in movies..."

Syrus blushed, thinking of his own secret plan for when he'd propose to Annie. "Me, too. But...real weddings are even better..."

"Yeah..." Annie said softly, blushing.

Before long the movie ended, and it was getting late. Violet had ended up falling asleep during the movie and so had Alexis, their heads resting on their respective fiancés' shoulders. Syrus blinked in surprise. "How could they fall asleep??"

"And the last few minutes totally rocked!" Annie said. "Explosions, bad guys getting killed...I don't get it...I mean, 'Titanic' was one thing, but this is 'The Incredibles!'"

"I know!" Jaden complained softly, so as not to wake his fiancée. "I never could sleep through it...I did once, though..."

Bastion and Chazz looked at him, eyebrows raised. "You have got to be kidding," they said at the same time.

"No...well, I did have the flu...and Mom had the DVD player in my room..."

"You remember that, honey?" Jayda asked.

"Well, yeah," the boy said, looking at his mom. "You got to stay home from work..."

"I didn't know you had the flu once, Jay," Syrus said, surprised.

"I bet you were bored like crazy! I know I hated it when I got sick...Mom wouldn't let me go outside or anything," complained Atticus, frowning.

"Oh, it was when I was little," Jaden said. "I was seven and I got to miss a week of school...Granted I was a little bored, but...well, Mom and Dad alternated taking off work so they could take care of me; that didn't happen too often...And I had fun, even though I was spending a lot of time hugging the porcelain fountain..."

"Ew," Annie groaned.

Syrus grimaced. "Yeah, ew," he added.

Atticus sighed and leaned back, stretching in his chair. "Hey, what time is it, anyway??"

Scout glanced at the clock. "Oh, my, it's 10:30 already! Annie, honey, you need to get settled, all right, and Chazz, do you want to get home?" Annie sighed, and Chazz grinned.

"You bet, Mom and Dad!"

Syrus squeezed Annie's hand a little and smiled at her. "Don't worry, Annie. I'm still going to be here," he whispered comfortingly.

Atticus stood, a grin on his face. "Is Chazz still sleeping in my room, mom?"

Scout smiled. "Yeah. I hope you boys don't mind. It's temporary, until we can fix up the second guest room. Chazz, we'll have to go shopping for paint and other things to make you a room..."

"My own room?"

"Of course, honey...what would you like in your room? You can have anything except a Playboy mansion theme or anything related to it," Scout said sternly.

"Huh?" everyone asked.

Jack coughed. "Er, honey, I doubt that Chazz would do something like that," he replied, sweat-dropping.

Atticus laughed. "Yeah, Mom. It's Chazz we're talking about here!"

"Just making sure everyone knows the family rules because of a certain someone," Scout grinned, tousling her eldest son's mop of brown hair. "Seriously, Chazz...what kind of room would you like?"

"I can have anything within reason?" he asked. She nodded. "Dragons," he said.

"Dragons?" Scout asked.

"Yeah...I've always wanted a room decorated with dragons."

"Mom?" Jaden whispered to his mother.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"What's the Playboy mansion?"

"Um...ask your father," Jayda answered, going red and realizing just how innocent her son was in some respects.

Atticus grinned sheepishly at his mother, while Hisoka coughed nervously. He'd heard his only son's question. "Well, son, it's...er..." Hisoka stuttered, sweat-dropping.

"Oh, wait..." Jaden said. "Since this is Atticus...it has something to do with girls in bikinis, right?"

Hisoka and Jack both face-faulted, and Atticus sweat-dropped. "Uh, yeah. But Mom gets mad when she finds that stuff in my room..."

"Oh, wait a minute...I know what that is! You got in detention when Dr. Crowler found you with that catalogue!" Jaden said, brightening. "I got a look at it, and...I didn't get it..."

Luckily, the rather tense conversation about Playboy abruptly ended when Violet fell out of her chair. She ended up face-planting the tiled floor, waking abruptly with her hand twitching. "Ow...why's the bed so hard?" she asked through a yawn.

"Violet, are you all right?" Bastion asked, kneeling down beside her. "You fell asleep in the middle of the movie...How could you manage it?"

Violet peeled her face from the floor, eyes half-closed as she turned towards Bastion. "It runs in the family. Eat before a movie, and you'll fall asleep. Even if it's 'War of the Worlds'..."

"YOU FELL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF 'WAR OF THE WORLDS?'" Jaden yelped, waking Alexis abruptly.

Alexis was so shocked that she also fell out of her chair, but luckily landed on her butt rather than her face like Violet had. "Ouch...Jaden, my ear was right next to your mouth," she groaned tiredly.

"Oh, sorry, Lex..." Jaden said, immediately chagrinned. "Here, let me help you up. She fell asleep in the middle of 'War of the Worlds!' Man, that scared me for weeks!"

"People got really mad at Orson Welles for the radio show broadcast..." Annie said.

Alexis sighed and sat back down in the chair, by now Violet having done the same. "Actually, I didn't fall asleep during that one, for once. My dad and brother did. Dad falls asleep during any movie he watches," Violet explained, sweat-dropping.

Syrus smiled. "I remember learning about that radio show-thing in history class..."

"Yeah...Welles was amazing...his last role was a giant robot thing in an animated movie...He played good guys and bad guys and that last bad guy was wicked cool!" Annie said and then yawned. "Oh, excuse me, everyone."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm tired, too," Violet soothed. Alexis nodded, stifling a yawn of her own.

"I guess we should all probably get home, huh?" asked Jack, smiling.

"Yeah...let's go," Scout said. "Good night, Annie."

"Night, Scout...Night, Chazz...I'm glad you get to go home...Night, guys..."

"Good night, Annie! See you tomorrow!!" cheered Violet, hugging her best friend.

"Yeah, goodnight Annie," added Alexis.

"See you soon, Annie!" Atticus stated, waving.

"Bye, guys..." replied Syrus. He was still going to stay with her.

"Sy, you sure you don't want to go home?" Annie asked before the Truesdales could leave.

He nodded, giving her a kiss before answering. "Yeah, Annie. I don't want to go home until you can come with me..."

"That's that, Annie; he wants to stay, even with the lure of Mom's cherry pie," Zane said. "Right, Dad?"

"Right, Zane," Will grinned.

Syrus crossed his arms over his chest, face set for one of the few times in his life. "No, not even for that. I'm staying with Annie," he replied.

Darla sighed. "That's my stubborn boy..."

"Sy..." Annie was smiling. And then she couldn't talk for a minute. That a young man could love her this much; to stay with her when she was sick and stand by her no matter what...Annie was in absolute shock.

"You okay?" Zane asked. Annie nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Syrus smiled and hugged her again, glad that he could show just how much he loved her. 'Soon, Annie. Soon I'll prove to you that there's no one else I'd rather be with,' he thought happily.

Darla knew when it was time to leave, and pushed her son and husband out the door. "All right, Syrus, we'll be back tomorrow. Be sure to get some rest," she called over her shoulder as they left.

"Bye, guys," Annie called after them. "Sy...I'm sorry, I just couldn't talk for a minute..."

He pulled away to face her. "It's okay, Annie. I understand..."

"You...could've gone home and yet you're staying with me...you love me that much?" she asked.

Syrus smiled. "Of course I do, Annie! I meant it when I said we'd get through this together, with love."

"I know...it's just amazing that you do...even though..." she sighed, pained.

Syrus frowned. "Annie, what's wrong?"

"You should have someone who's healthy...someone who's not...like me," Annie started crying again.

He immediately wrapped his arms around her again, doing his best to let her cry into his chest. "Annie, I don't care if you have health problems. I'm just glad that they won't take you away from me..."

"What if this does? I'll just..." She was upset at the thought of leaving him alone.

Syrus' grip on her tightened a little, heart pained by such a thought. "Annie, I...I don't know. All we can do is hope...hope that it doesn't."

"I..." she whimpered, cuddled against him, crying harder, unable to talk again.

"Annie, please don't cry...I hate seeing you cry..."

"Just hold me," she managed finally. He did, keeping his arms securely around her as they sat on the hospital bed. "Hey, Sy?" Annie asked when she could talk again, "Did you take Hologram Design?" She needed to change the subject or risk blubbering worse.

"Uh, no...I'm not very good at art," he replied, sighing.

"I wish I had my computer...I could show you what I worked on..."

"I'd love to see it, Annie, when we get back. Maybe Mom can bring it here."

"Maybe...I've kind of been working on a movie using holographic clones," Annie said, blushing.

Syrus' eyes widened. "A whole movie? How cool! I'd love to see it when it's done, Annie."

"Remember how I said I made the Kaibas and everyone into Sailor Moon characters?"

He grinned. "You mean you made a movie using them??"

"Yeah..." Annie said. "I crossed some things from Sailor Moon with what we learned about them in our Dueling History classes, and I came up with a way for Kisara as Sailor Blue Eyes to save everybody; maybe they should see it too, but it's probably not that good..."

"Annie, you haven't even finished it yet. And Violet told me about some of the stuff you made in that class. It sounded great," Syrus said clearly, genuinely believing Annie had talent.

"Actually, I've almost finished the movie. There's just one thing I'm having trouble with...I need a sketchpad or something," she said, determined to get it right this time.

"Uh..." Syrus glanced around the room, opening a drawer in the bedside table. "Oh! Here, you can try to use this," he offered, handing her a small hospital notepad and pen.

"Thanks, Sy..." Annie began sketching, fast. "I've been trying to draw a special magic flower, but I just can't seem to get it to work...Violet says I'm trying too hard..."

Syrus glanced over her shoulder, and sweat-dropped. The flower was extremely complicated looking, but seemed more abstract than magical. "Well, maybe she's right. Did you just try drawing one bit at a time?"

"Yeah...I just can't get it to work; it's supposed to be the Life Flower of Atlantis..."

He thought for a few moments, then took a piece of paper from the notepad. "Let me try...I have an idea, but it might not look too good..." Syrus started drawing, going very slow and trying to copy down the picture in his head.

Annie watched. Sy drew a beautiful flower. "Sy...that's amazing!" she said. "That's really really good! Can...I use it?"

Syrus blushed, embarrassed as he handed her the paper. "R-Really? It doesn't look all that great..."

"Sy...that's amazing!" she repeated. "It looks like a cross between an asphodel and...a hibiscus! I love it! May I use it?" she asked shyly.

"Uh, sure, I guess. If you really think it's good..."

Annie grinned, feeling a lot better. "Yeah, I do...oh, that'll look great in 3-D!!"

"Well, I'm glad I could help, Annie." Syrus wrapped an arm around her shoulders, kissing her on the cheek softly.

"Our first collaboration," she smiled. "Sy...that'll be the flower that brings Sailor Blue Eyes back to life..."

"That's great, Annie." He stifled a yawn. "We should probably get to bed, though. It's already eleven o'clock."

"Yeah...when we were at Duel Academy, I'd stay up until after midnight some nights..." Annie admitted.

"A lot of the students did. Some because they were studying...and some for other reasons." Syrus sweat-dropped, remembering the countless nights he'd asked Slifer for a good grade on a test.

"You asked the god monsters for help, didn't you?" she asked, a slight smile on her face.

"Uh, well, only Slifer...when I was still in the red dorm," he admitted, blushing.

"Well, some Obelisks do that," Annie said knowingly. "I stayed up because...well...I've never told anybody this before...Violet knows because she caught me..."

Syrus blinked. "You can tell me, Annie. I won't tell anyone else if you don't want me to..."

"Well...I liked going for walks late and going down to the beach, away from the school lights...so I could see the stars and shooting stars and satellites," she admitted, smiling a little.

He smiled. "That sounds nice, Annie. Maybe...when we go back to school, I could go with you..."

"Yeah," Annie said softly. "I've never had a guy to walk with before..."

Syrus yawned again, eyes slightly lidded. "Yeah," he replied tiredly.

Annie laid down, also yawning. "Let's go to sleep; I don't think I can stay awake anymore..."

"Me...neither," mumbled Syrus, already drifting off.

He was still holding her, sleeping above the sheets, wrapped in his own blanket. She cuddled close. 'Please, Lord, keep me with him,' she prayed in her head as she fell into a deep sleep.

_And so, this chapter closes with Chazz at home and Annie still in the hospital, hoping for more time with her beloved. Next time: _Caring Solitude._ Sy will have to help Annie when she finally leaves the hospital. So until next time, please read, review and stay tuned._


	48. Caring Solitude

Chapter XLVIII: Caring Solitude

_Welcome back to another chapter of _Summer Love, Summer Fears. _Sorry for the delay in the new chapter, dear readers, but Peach had a rather busy few days of it as her parents celebrated their 40__th__ wedding anniversary. Anyway, we hope you didn't mind the delay._

_Last time, Chazz celebrated his freedom and new family, while Syrus and Annie enjoyed some quiet moments together. Annie also asked the Almighty for more time as she fell asleep with the young man she loves. And so, we come to her getting out of the hospital. So what will happen when Sy and Annie are home alone?_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the previous 47 disclaimers. That says what we do and don't own. **_

Annie, fortunately, was free of attacks for the next two days. Dr. Benson prescribed pills for her and she was finally released. "I can leave!"

Everyone cheered, Syrus and Violet hugging Annie. "It's about time!" shouted Violet.

Syrus grinned. "I thought they'd never let you leave!"

"Well, since Annie hasn't had any more attacks, we think it's time she got out of here..." Kisara Kaiba grinned. "Oh, Annie, here...the gang sent you this..." She handed Annie a huge package. " Seto checked with your mother on what you liked and we all chipped in to get you something really nice. Don't open it until you're at the Truesdales, all right?"

"Okay, Kisara...I won't..." Annie promised. Kisara just smiled mysteriously.

"Good luck, Annie..." Dr. Benson smiled, giving the teen girl a hug.

"Thanks, Dr. Benson!"

"I can't wait until we get home, Annie," replied Syrus happily. Today, the three couples decided to spend the day alone together, either at home or somewhere in the city. Plus, the Truesdale parents and Zane would be out all day long, leaving him and Annie alone in the house.

"Atticus and I planned a guys' day out...We single guys have to do something with all of you mushy people around us," Zane said, grinning.

"Yup! And Chazz is comin' with us!!" Atticus added, grinning and placing an arm on his younger sibling's shoulders.

"And I'm taking Violet out to lunch at a French bistro, or wherever she'd like to go," Bastion said.

Violet was also smiling. "I keep telling him that I don't care where we go, so long as he's with me," she replied, sighing.

"We're going to the water park. Jaden and I have wanted to go there all summer," Alexis explained, remembering the tub incident a few days ago.

Jaden grinned. "Yeah...summer hasn't been very long yet...man...how much more stuff can happen in a couple of months? Oh, crap...I JUST JINXED US!"

"Oh, lord..." Zane groaned.

Annie smiled. "We'll be okay...And tomorrow, I'm taking Sy home! Mom and Dad said he could stay the rest of the summer until it's time to go back to school!"

Alexis sweat-dropped and sighed at her fiancé's statement. Violet, meanwhile, was close to rocketing through the roof with excitement. "Yeah! Plus, Bastion-baby and I are going to Cleveland, and we can stay there the rest of the summer, too!!"

"This is going to be incredible!" Bastion said happily. "I've never actually gone on holiday for long distances without my parents before...Zane, you have..."

"Yeah, but that was work..."

Violet grinned. "I'll show you around town, first! The park, the library, dad's shop, the school..." She drifted off at the last one, smile faltering.

"It'll be all right, darling..." Bastion soothed. "You have one more counseling session with Karen tomorrow morning and then we'll be off in the afternoon..."

Violet sighed. "Right...anyway! Let's get out of this stuffy hospital room!!" In the back of her mind, the thought of running into Mike kept nagging at her.

"Yeah..." Annie smiled. "Thanks for everything," she said to the two doctors that were hopefully saving her life, and hoping she wouldn't need to see them again except for check-ups.

"Yeah, thanks Kisara, Dr. Benson," added Syrus happily. Annie was helped into a wheelchair and was dressed in a comfortable pair of blue shorts and a white t-shirt. Syrus smiled and pushed Annie out of the hospital room, down the hallway towards the main entrance of the hospital. "It'll be nice for you to get some fresh air, huh?"

"Yeah...and I've been thinking of something else I've wanted for days," Annie said.

"Oh? What's that, Annie??" he asked curiously.

"I want to soak in the bathtub...I love doing that, and sponge baths and showers aren't the same..."

"All right! You can take a bath when we get home." Then, he pushed her outside into the bright sunshine, a light breeze shifting past them.

Jaden grinned. "Welcome back to freedom, Annie!"

"Thanks, Jaden..."

Scout had overheard Annie and Sy. "Sy, she's going to need help with that...You up to it?"

"Oh...I can't be alone in there, can I? And God doesn't count, does He?" Annie realized.

"No, He doesn't," Scout answered.

Syrus blushed. "Uh, well, if it's so that Annie can relax...I'll help out," he mumbled.

"Sy...I could wait," Annie said, sensing his nervousness.

Syrus' face took on a look of maturity, though a light blush still remained. "It's okay, Annie. You deserve a bath after spending all of that time in the hospital."

"Um...okay...I just didn't want you uncomfortable..."

Jaden pulled Sy away for a minute. "Sy, don't worry about it...You're helping her..."

Syrus sighed. "I know, Jaden. But it's still...well, I mean, you haven't even seen Alexis in that way yet. And you guys are engaged."

"Can you keep a secret, Sy?" Jaden asked, very quietly.

Syrus blinked. "Uh, sure, Jaden..."

"I have seen her..."

The blush reappeared on Syrus' now-shocked face. "Y-You have??"

"Yeah...a few nights ago...she wanted to see me...we were in a soaking tub together..." Jaden flushed a little at the memory.

"Wow...uh, you think Bastion and Violet have seen each other?" Sy asked. 'What if the others have all seen each other? Then I wouldn't be so nervous,' he thought.

"I don't know...but I'm not going to ask," Jaden whispered.

"Ask whom, Jaden?" Bastion asked, having moved away from Violet for a moment.

"Uh...you," Jaden answered, face red.

"About?" Bastion coaxed, not realizing...

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "Uh...if you've...well, uh...if you and Violet have seen each other...you know..."

"You mean...in the all-together?" Bastion whispered, a little shocked and blushing lightly.

Syrus' light blush intensified a little. "W-Well, uh, Jaden said that he and Alexis have. S-So, I was kind of wondering if you and Violet had. I mean...it would make me a little less nervous about seeing Annie...that way..."

"All right...yes, and it was an accident! I'd just gotten out of the shower...and she had decided to take one...oh, that was bloody embarrassing," Bastion admitted quietly.

Syrus' eyes widened. "So, you mean, it wasn't on purpose like with Jaden? Wow..."

"On purpose?" Bastion asked, now looking at Jaden, and stunned at the other boy's daring.

"We were in my family's Japanese-style tub and in swimsuits and...Well, I told her about the tradition and she wanted to do it," Jaden explained, still a bit flushed.

"Ah...well, mine definitely wasn't on purpose, Syrus," Bastion explained, finally. "And you'll be helping Annie...remember that..."

Syrus nodded, feeling a little less nervous about it now. "Hey, guys! Whatcha doin'??" called Violet, impatient as always.

Bastion walked back over to her. "Syrus had a bit of a problem and we were helping him out..."

Violet tilted her head to the side for a moment, then grinned. "Ooh, I see. A boy problem..." she replied. Syrus sweat-dropped and went back to pushing Annie towards his parents' car.

"You asked them about seeing Alexis and Violet...didn't you?" Annie asked.

Syrus' face went bright red, shocked that she knew exactly what they'd been talking about. "Uh...yeah," he mumbled, embarrassed. Alexis and Violet both blushed a little, taking each other's blush as a "yes" to the question.

"Why am I not surprised? We talked about it when you guys were down the hall playing video games," Annie said calmly.

Syrus blinked. "Y-You did??"

"Yeah, we did...and it was interesting..." Annie said, smiling mysteriously.

Annie thought back to yesterday, when she'd been a little worried about getting out of the hospital...

--Flashback, yesterday-- "I'd better not have another attack..." The only ones in the room were Annie, Violet, and Alexis; the boys had all left to play some video games.

"Don't worry, Annie.'If you worry about something happening, then it's gonna happen.' That's what my dad always said," explained Violet, lounging in a chair.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "In other words, don't stress yourself with worrying over this, Annie."

"Good point... can we talk about something since the guys are gone?" Annie asked. "Anything!"

"How about any special moments we've had with our guys?" offered Alexis, grinning.

"Sure, sounds good," replied Violet, craving some excitement.

"Oh...yeah..." Annie said. "Sy tried to cook dinner for me last month...The lobster bit his nose...but everything tasted wonderful..."

Violet giggled a little. "Yeah, I cooked a meal for Bastion-baby, remember? But...I kinda messed up the kitchen," she explained, sweat-dropping.

"Well...Jaden and I had a really special moment a few nights ago...when I slept over," began Alexis, blushing.

"What happened?" Annie asked, smiling, imagining a sweet scene where the two fell asleep on the couch watching a romantic movie.

"Well, uh, you see...the Yukis have this old-fashioned Japanese-style tub. Jaden and I went in it to relax...and then he told me the traditional way you're supposed to go in it..." Alexis' blush intensified.

Violet blinked. "You saw him naked, didn't you?"

Anne Charlotte Hanson was shocked, then was grinning. "You did! OH MY GOSH! Did he look good?"

Violet laughed loudly and Alexis face-faulted at Annie's question. "Well...yeah, he has some muscles. And he saw me, too," the blonde explained, smiling shyly.

Violet sighed. "Man, if only Bastion-baby and I had seen each other that way instead of the way we did..."

"YOU TOO?" Annie shrieked. "Are you serious?"

Violet jumped up in surprise at Annie's shriek, before falling back into her chair. "Geez, Annie...do you want me to explain, or would you rather blow my ear drums??"

"Yeah...sorry...I was just surprised..."

Violet sighed. "S'okay...anyway, our sighting wasn't as...romantic. Long story short, he was getting out of the shower and I was going in to take one. Doesn't help that the parents came in, too," she explained, frowning.

Alexis blinked in surprise. "That happened to you, too??"

Annie started cracking up. "Did Bastion look...good?"

Violet blushed a little. "Oh yeah, he works out. You should have seen him in the gym, in a tight top when we were doing yoga..." Her eyes would have turned into hearts if they could.

Annie and Alexis squealed in delight. "I...wonder what Sy looks like..." Annie wondered... 'I probably won't find out today...but he'll see me first,' she thought, flushing. – End Flashback—

"We...traded notes..." she admitted.

"Well, that's one way to put it," replied Violet, grinning.

Alexis grinned sheepishly. "When you have a bunch of girls alone together, they start talking..."she added.

"And your parents saw you guys, too?" asked Syrus.

Jaden and Bastion looked at each other. "Yes..." they said together.

Zane and Atticus had listened to the conversation and Zane said, "Oh, lord..."

Violet frowned and flicked Zane on the nose. "Ha ha, Violet, why'd you do that??" asked Atticus, laughing.

"That's getting annoying," she replied, frowning.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "So...what? Every time he says it around you, you're going to flick him...on the nose??" she asked.

"Yup. There a problem with that?"

"Violet, it's his catchphrase..." Annie sighed, laughing. "I like it..."

"At least someone does," Zane said wryly.

"I'll still say 'Get your game on,'" Jaden said.

"But that never gets old, Jaden." Violet replied, wondering how they couldn't understand such a simple concept.

Syrus sighed. "Can someone help Annie get into the car?"

"Okay, Annie...let's get you in then...we have it!" Bastion called to Sy's parents. He and Zane lifted Annie out of the wheelchair and into the car. "I'll run the chair back," Bastion offered.

Violet grinned. "I'll go with you!" she replied and followed him.

"Thanks, Zane. Thanks, Bastion!" called Syrus, climbing into the car as well.

Darla turned to Will. "Will, do you mind taking the kids home?"

"Of course, honey. I'll get Sy and Annie settled and you can get back to work," Will answered.

"Thanks, Darla," Annie said, giving her boyfriend's mother a strong hug.

"No need to thank me, sweetie. You just relax and don't push yourself. Take care of her, Syrus," replied Darla.

He nodded. "I will, Mom. Well, see you guys later!" he stated as his father climbed in.

"Okay, kids...What are you doing today?" Will asked as they got buckled in.

"Dad, Atticus and I are heading out...he has some ideas," Zane said. "I'll have my cell with me if Sy needs a hand."

"And what about you two?"

Annie looked at Sy. "I think we're just hanging around unless Sy has some ideas," she said.

"I was thinking we could spend the day at home, maybe sit outside in Mom's garden," Sy responded, smiling.

Alexis smiled. "That sounds nice. Hope you two have fun!"

The two young teens waved and called to Alexis, "We will!"

"That sounds nice, Sy," Annie said softly, resting her head on his shoulder as Will drove away from the hospital.

"I thought that you would like to just stay at the house today, since you haven't been there in so long."

"Yeah...that sounds so nice...and truth is...I'm feeling a little tired," Annie smiled.

"You've been in the hospital for a week and you're tired?" Zane asked, surprised.

"Zane...she's been stressed out," Will pointed out.

"Good point, Dad."

"It's okay. You can get some more rest when we get home, Annie..."

Annie smiled. "Yeah...and we can just chill for a bit."

"Good plan," Will said calmly.

"Yeah, just relax and enjoy our last day here in Domino," added Syrus.

"Maybe when we get back here...we can check out the museum," Annie said wistfully.

"The museum?" Zane asked.

"Yeah...it has a lot of cool art and...that was where the tablets that told the story of Atem were kept when they were here eleven years ago..."

"Oh, yeah! I remember learning about that in Duel History class," Syrus replied, smiling eagerly.

"Yeah...How does Professor Stein make it such a snooze-fest?" Annie wondered.

"You thought he was boring, too?" Zane asked.

"Yeah...he's like a worse version of Ben Stein in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off!'" she answered, laughing a little. "And his name is Ben!"

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Yeah...I think a lot of us came close to failing his class because of how much we fell asleep. But...I noticed something...Annie, we both had his class with Violet, remember? Our first year??"

"Yeah...and I took Dueling History 202 with him...thank God Dorothy makes extra strong cappuccinos..."

"You drank those, too?" Zane asked.

"Yup...hey, I'm from the coffee capital of America, what do you expect?"

"Really? I never really did like coffee...even though a lot of the students drank it," admitted Syrus.

"I only did it on days when I couldn't stay awake on my own," Annie admitted. "Violet...she ditched sometimes..."

Syrus' eyes widened. "She did?? I didn't know that...I thought she was sick those days."

"I just didn't tell on her...and Alexis ditched a couple of times to go to the Academy mall..."

This shocked Syrus even more; Alexis always seemed to be the last person to skip classes. "Wow, has everyone ditched??"

"No...you'd have to drag Bastion out of class kicking and screaming even if he's sick, and...I never had the guts to ditch, unless it was Professor Ginsburg's class..."

"Well, I only missed class when I was with Jaden or that time with you and Professor Ginsburg's class. I never really had the nerve to skip them on my own," he replied, grinning sheepishly.

Zane smiled, looking back at his brother from the front seat. "You got gutsier with Jaden around, and you've gotten strong with Annie. You really have made my brother braver," he said to the blue-eyed girl.

"Thanks, Zane, but...I feel like I didn't do anything," Annie said, blushing lightly.

"But he's right, Annie. By...wanting to stand up for you...and be strong for you, I've become stronger," Sy blushed.

"Sy...you always were brave...you just didn't know it," Annie answered, softly.

He smiled softly. "Maybe...but, I wouldn't have learned that if it wasn't for you, Annie..." By this time, Will finally pulled up to the Truesdale house.

Zane went up to unlock the front door while Will went to the other side of the car. "Annie, think you can walk?"

Annie nodded. "Sy, stay close..."

Syrus nodded as he climbed out, standing by the door with his father. "I will."

Annie leaned on Sy a little bit, smiling as she looked up at the Truesdale residence. 'Hot bath...oh, that sounds so nice...' she thought.

"Sy, you know you have to help Annie with everything, right?" Will asked. "I hope you were given enough instructions at the hospital..."

"Don't worry, Dad, I know. After you have a bath, we can have lunch and you can take your medicine. All right, Annie?"

"Okay," Annie said, stepping into the house. She sat down on the couch, content.

"Annie, Sy, I'm going back to work now, and I'll be home after six...Zane, c'mon," Will said quickly.

"Got it, Dad...I'm getting a ride with Dad and I'm meeting up with Atticus at the arcade," Zane explained.

Syrus sat beside Annie, waving to his dad and brother. "All right. Bye, have fun, Zane. See you later."

And so, Annie and Sy were alone. "I'm definitely going to need help, Sy...maybe I can fix you lunch," Annie offered.

"Thanks, Annie, but I want you to relax for right now. I'll handle most of the stuff. Anyway, uh, did you want that bath now?" he asked, a little nervous.

"Um...yeah...if that's okay..." Annie said, also a little nervous.

"Y-Yeah! Of course it is! Don't worry, Annie. I can help...I'll be strong," he replied reassuringly.

"Okay..." Annie said, getting up. 'Oh, boy...I really hope he likes what he sees...stupid stretch marks...' She was very sensitive about how her skin had stretched during puberty and her weight gain in early junior high. Weight loss hadn't erased the marks and neither had cocoa butter.

Syrus stood as well, and the two went upstairs to the bathroom. "Uh, if you want, you can draw the water. Since I don't know how warm you like it."

Annie nodded. She liked the huge tub that the Truesdales had in the master bathroom which was perfect for soaking. "This is a great tub. I love that it's so big...I'll get it filled..."

"All right...uh, do you want bubbles or anything? I think we have some stuff like that in the closet," he added, opening the small door to the cabinet where his mom kept her bath supplies.

"Um...just some scented bath salts would be nice. Thanks, Sy," she smiled.

"Okay, let's see..." Syrus searched around the shelves for a few moments, before pulling out a half-empty box of jasmine-scented bath salts. "Uh, will this work?"

Annie nodded. "All right! That'll work great! This'll just take a few minutes," she said, turning on the tap.

"Okay...uh, do you know exactly what you'll be needing my help with, Annie?" he asked, setting down the box.

"Getting in and then you'll need to sit here...just in case...Kisara and Dr. Benson didn't want me alone in the tub if...you know..."

Syrus nodded, blushing a little. "A-All right. I can do that..."

"You can go out while I'm getting my stuff off or you can stay, Sy..." Annie said calmly. "I really don't mind, either way..."

"Are you sure, Annie? I don't want you to think that I'm a...you know..."

Annie smiled. "Sy...if I thought for one minute that you might try to take advantage of the situation, you wouldn't even be alone with me. I trust you completely...and I want you to see me...but there is something you need to know...and I think they're sort of ugly..."

Syrus blinked in surprise. "Uh, what? Your, er, uh..." His blush intensified.

Annie realized she should've told him a little more directly. "Um...Sy, you know what stretch marks are, right?"

He was a little relieved that it wasn't what he thought it had been. "Uh, yeah. Mom has them..."

"Okay..." Annie said, relieved. "I've got them all over...I just wanted you to know..." She reached over and turned off the tap and the bathroom was deadly silent except for their breathing.

"Oh...well, I don't care how you look, Annie. But even with those, I still think that you're beautiful," he replied, smiling.

"Th-thanks..." Annie said. "Well...are you...ready to see me?" She was blushing deeply now.

His face reddened in a similar way as he tried to stay calm. "Y-Yeah..." Annie swallowed and removed her top, revealing her favorite fleshy pink bra. Syrus' blush deepened, and he tried to place his eyes somewhere else.

"Sy...it's okay," Annie soothed as she pulled off her shorts.

"I-I've just never s-seen a girl...l-like this, before..."he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's all right," she said as she got out of the rest. "There...all done..." She blushed.

Syrus bit his bottom lip, then hesitantly made a quick scan of Annie's body. His face became the deepest shade of red possible for a human being at the sight. "Oh, Annie...you're more beautiful than Dark Magician Girl," he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Annie looked stunned for a second. "You...you really think so?"

"Uh, yeah, Annie. I mean, you're the first girl I've seen...like this. But...I think you're really pretty..."

Annie gazed at him, seemingly shy again. "You really do?"

Syrus forced his nervous eyes to stare into hers, trying to pull up some sort of determined strength. "Y-Yes, Annie...I mean it."

And then she impulsively hugged him and kissed him. "Thank you, Sy!"

He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck again. "Uh, you're welcome, Annie. It's only the truth. So, we should probably get you in before the water gets cold. Right?"

"Oh, good point," Annie said sheepishly. "Glad you're here...I know if something happened, you'd save me..."

"Of course I would, Annie." Syrus stood again, and carefully helped her into the tub. He then took a handful of the bath salts and tossed them in.

"Mmmm... this is so nice," Annie smiled blissfully. "I love hot baths so much..."

"Me, too. Too bad they didn't have any normal baths at school. Just those public baths used for relaxing."

"Yeah. The ones in the Obelisk dorms were nice, but...they weren't the same as this. Do you like baths or showers?"

"Well, it kind of depends. I like baths at night, but showers in the morning. What about you?"

"I'm a bathaholic," Annie admitted. "I love to soak in the tub whenever I can or just to get clean. I take showers only when I have to, which was most of the school year. I've been known to spend two hours in there..." She grinned, "In the tub, I mean."

Syrus laughed a little. "But don't you get all wrinkly?"

Annie nodded. "But it's a great place to study. And apparently, Albert Einstein came up with his theory of relativity while in the bathroom..."

This made him laugh even more. "Ha ha, I wonder if Bastion knows that!"

"He does. I told him. We watch Star Trek a lot and just talk. And since he likes Einstein so well, I mentioned it when we were watching Star Trek: The Next Generation..."

Syrus grinned. "What'd he say about it??"

Annie grinned back, and said, "He thought it was cool, though he figured it would be much safer for him to have a scientific breakthrough while not shaving."

He laughed again. "Annie, you always seem to know the coolest things! I don't know how you remember it all..."

Annie looked puzzled. "I don't know either...I've just been that way since I was really little...But that means I'll remember our first kiss for the rest of my life..."

Syrus blushed a little at that. "I hope I will, too..." He then reached down to place a soft kiss on her lips. Annie kissed back, loving this completely. Just then, Syrus's hand slipped on the edge of the tub, causing him to lose his balance. Eyes wide, he pulled away, a split second later falling into the tub with a loud splash.

"OOH!" Annie squealed in worry as he fell in. "SY!" She pulled him up fast. "Are you all right?!"

Syrus coughed a little, soaking wet and having lost his glasses. "Uh, kinda, ow...I lost my glasses..."

Annie reached around and found them fast. "Here they are...Oh, you're all wet..."

He was now in a sitting position across from Annie, clothes dripping as much water as his hair. "Uh, thanks...oh, and I'm still dressed, too!" he groaned. Syrus dried his glasses off on a towel and put them on, frowning at the sudden turn of events.

"Well..." Annie looked unsure for a second.

Syrus blinked. "Well, what, Annie??"

"Maybe you should get your clothes off, then..."

_A cliffhanger…Will Sy get in the tub with Annie? What will happen next in "Talking with Butterflies?" You'll just have to stay tuned, read and review! Thanks, everyone for your patience! See you next time!_


	49. Talking with Butterflies

Chapter XLIX: Talking with Butterflies

_Hello again, GX _Summer Love, Summer Fears _fans! Welcome to another chapter! As usual, we appreciate your reviews and are always glad to talk with you! _

_Last time, Sy had to take care of Annie all by himself and saw her naked and she was okay with it. And then, he fell in the tub and Annie suggested he get out of his wet clothes. So will she see him? You'll just have to see! _

_**Legal Stuff: Please see chapters I- XLVII. We also don't own **_**Moulin Rouge!,**_** which is a very interesting movie.**_

Syrus blushed at Annie's suggestion that he get his wet clothes off, twiddling his thumbs nervously. "Oh, uh...I-I don't know," he mumbled, embarrassed at his own body and nervous about showing her. It wasn't that he didn't want to; it was that he worried what she'd think.

"You...don't have to here, if you don't want to," she stammered. "I just meant...oh, no, that came out wrong..." She was beginning to freak out a little.

"Annie, it's okay, I understand...it was just an accident. Don't start to get stressed out, please. It's not good," the teen boy soothed, not wanting her to have another episode.

"I...think you'd look good, though," Annie said, shyly.

The blush returned full-force, and he turned his gaze to the bath water. "No...I'm not as muscled as the other guys. I'm just scrawny..."

Annie shook her head. "Guys with too many muscles scare me..." She reached out to touch his face. "You're just right...to me..."

"W-Well, I guess if...it's o-okay with you," he stuttered, biting his bottom lip. There was still a part of him that was very insecure about how he looked and showing himself to Annie was a major act of how much he loved and trusted her. However, that didn't make him any less nervous.

Annie looked straight at him. "I am okay with it...and...you look handsome as far as I'm concerned..."

"All right..." Syrus stood, wringing out his hair and shirt as much as he could. He then placed a towel on the floor, and wringed out each of his pant legs before stepping onto the towel. Syrus took a breath, then hesitantly pulled off his shirt.

Annie moved herself so she was at the edge of the tub, her head propped on her arms. "Wow..." she said softly.

He blinked in surprise, a light blush on his face. "Huh? But...I..." he mumbled, rubbing his arm nervously. Syrus never thought there was anything special about his body; he was short, skinny, and pale.

"I think you look wonderful..." Annie said. Encouraged a little by a non-negative response, he slid off his pants. Syrus had to wait a moment before forcing his hands to pull off the rest. Annie smiled, blushing too. "Syrus...wow...You look like Tuxedo Mask," she said honestly.

Syrus blushed, grinning sheepishly. "You really think so, Annie??"

"Yeah...but I think your butt is nicer than Darien's..." Annie blushed beet red as she said that. She was shocked at her own daring, but she meant every word.

His blush intensified a little. "Uh, well, is that a good thing?"

Annie said, "Oh, yeah, it is a very good thing...C'mon in if you want to."

"Oh, uh, all right..." Syrus climbed into the tub, sitting a few inches away from Annie.

Annie relaxed again, glad the moment of awkwardness was over. "Oh, this is heaven...I'm glad you're in here, too, now..." They sat in the tub for several minutes, just talking about subjects they normally would. "Sy, what do you think will happen next year?"

"Well, hopefully things will be normal for once. No shadows, no attempted cult takeovers, just dueling and classes. I mean, how much bad stuff could happen all at once??"

"Yeah...I know...Yugi and Seto and their friends had lots of bad stuff happen to them all at once..."

"It's kind of strange how we're all so alike, and how we've all been through the same sort of stuff. I mean, isn't it kind of like déjà vu?"

"Yeah, tell me about it," Annie sighed. "I think the thing with Sartorius could've been worse if Chazz hadn't stood up to him in the forest, and then if Jaden hadn't beat him with Neos..." She met Sy's eyes again. "The whole school could've been turned. I'm glad Chazz was stronger than all of that and that Jaden was okay."

"Yeah. I mean, there was no way that cult Sartorius tried to start could have been a good thing. What if...they'd taken you? Or any of the other girls??" All of them never would have gotten together like they had, Syrus thought.

"Or...what if they'd taken you...or Bastion...or Tyson? Anybody..." Annie shuddered. "I'm glad we can't see alternate timelines," she said. "It was bad enough when Jaden couldn't see his cards..."

"Yeah. You know...I bet when one of us went, the others would try to get them back. So...Sartorius could have easily gotten everyone to join his cult. Right??" He knew that he would have done anything to save Annie.

"Yeah...I know...The way Chazz told it, it sounded like the Light of Destruction fed off our weaknesses...I wonder what..." she trailed off.

"Your weakness is?" he asked curiously. Realizing what he said, he blushed lightly and bit down on his tongue. "Sorry..."

"Don't worry," she soothed, "I wondered what he would've used to take each of us...Chazz...it's pretty obvious now..."

"Really? Can you tell me??" Syrus probed, not having a clue.

"Well...Chazz's weakness was his insecurity; I think Alexis doubts herself sometimes; Bastion feels like he's alone sometimes; Tyson...I don't know; Atticus is too relaxed, and I'll bet he wouldn't join...Zane was afraid to lose...I mean, he was a wreck after that duel with Aster Phoenix...I'm not really sure about Rosa...but Violet...she wouldn't want to be hurt again..." Annie looked at Syrus carefully. "You...might be unsure of yourself, but I don't think when push comes to shove that you would turn to the Dark Side..." She swallowed. "What do you think my weakness is?"

Syrus thought hard for a few moments. "Well...you doubt yourself a lot. And you do seem to have low self-esteem, like me..."

"Hmmm...I think you're right...but why do I think we might not've been noticed?" Annie wondered. "Maybe we should get out...I'm getting a little hungry, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we can have lunch in Mom's garden," he replied. Syrus stood and got out of the tub, ready to help Annie out. "I think I know what you mean, though. For some reason...I don't think they'd consider us to be very strong..."

"Maybe..." Annie wondered, "maybe that's what makes us stronger, though...And that sounds great...I love that tree in your mom's garden..." Sy helped her out of the tub and Annie smiled. "I think we need to get some clothes on, though..." She giggled. "I kind of forgot for a minute..."

Syrus blushed a little. "Oh...right. Can you walk to the guest room?" he asked, wrapping a towel around his waist.

Annie nodded, wrapping a towel around herself. "Yeah, I can...Thanks, Sy..." She bent slightly and kissed him on the cheek.

"You're welcome, Annie. Do you need any help getting dressed?" he asked, draining the tub. Syrus wanted to help Annie in any way possible, to make her last day in Domino easy and relaxing.

"I should be okay," she said. "I'm just going to pull on one of my nightgowns...I mean...it's not like we're going anywhere and I can wear some slippers. That okay?"

"Sure! I wasn't going to put on anything much, either." They made their way down the hallway, and split to go into their separate rooms. Syrus slipped on a pair of navy blue shorts and a white T-shirt, straightening out his hair.

Annie meanwhile, headed to her guestroom, opened the box that the Kaibas and their friends had given her and pulled out a long nightgown with cap sleeves and in lavender. It had a V-neck and the fabric flowed down to mid-calf. Then she pulled on a clean pair of panties and lavender ballet-style slippers.

Syrus went back out into the hallway to wait for Annie, leaning against the wall. 'Tomorrow I'll meet her parents for real...I hope I don't ruin things for us...' he thought, frowning.

Annie came out of her room and noticed her boyfriend's frown. "Hey, what's up?"

His head snapped up in surprise, frown instantly becoming a smile. "Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it...uh, what would you like for lunch??"

"I'm good with a sandwich, Sy...I'm just a little hungry..." She looked at him. "It isn't nothing, though, Sy. I know that look...What's going on? I'll worry if you don't tell me..." Her eyes pleaded with him.

Syrus sighed, frown returning. "I'm just worried about tomorrow. Annie, what if I mess up and your parents don't like me?"

Annie smiled. "They already like you...I don't think they'll change their minds now..."

"A-Are you sure?" he asked as they went downstairs.

"Yeah, Sy, I'm sure...Mom was so thrilled when I told her we started dating and then...when what happened in the park happened and you stayed by me...she and Dad said you were wonderful and they were glad I'd chosen you."

"Well, all right. I'll try not to worry," Syrus replied as they went into the kitchen. "You just sit down, and I'll make the sandwiches. Do you...have anything in particular that you want?"

"Surprise me..." Annie said, sitting down at the kitchen table. Then the phone rang and Annie got it. "Hello, Truesdale residence..."

Syrus was just digging through the fridge when he heard Annie answer the phone. "Who is it, Annie?"

"Annie, this is Seto Kaiba," the familiar voice came over the line.

"Oh, hi, Seto, how are you?" she asked, mouthing to Sy, "It's Seto..."

"Fine, Annie. Listen, I was talking to your dad yesterday and we thought it might be a good idea if I had Kisara and some of the Kaiba Corp medical staff go on our private jet with you tomorrow. What do you think?"

"Umm...just a sec...Sy, he wants to take us to Seattle on a private jet!" Annie said, eyes wide. "What do you think?"

Syrus was so surprised that he nearly dropped the jar of mayo he'd been holding. "Wh-What?? Really?! That sounds great!"

"Okay...wow...Dad doesn't have a private jet," Annie said softly. "Thank you, Seto, that sounds great."

"Okay, then, we'll have a limo pick you kids up tomorrow and you'll go to the airfield. And then you'll fly and the plane will land in Renton at Boeing Field, all right?"

"Okay, thank you, Seto..."

"No problem...oh, is your boyfriend with you?"

"Yeah, he's taking care of me..."

"I'd like to talk to him for a minute, okay?"

"Okay...Sy...Seto wants to talk to you," Annie said, handing him the phone.

Syrus blinked in surprise and set down the package of ham, taking the phone from Annie. "Hello?"

"Hi, Syrus...How are you today?" Seto asked.

"Hi, Seto. I'm doing fine. What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked curiously.

"You're meeting Annie's parents face-to-face tomorrow...that's a big deal..."

"Yeah, I know...I, I'm a little nervous..."

"What are you nervous about?" Seto asked reasonably.

"Well...I'm afraid that I'll do something wrong, and get her parents mad at me."

"Okay...have you done anything that would make them really mad?"

"Uh, well..." Syrus mumbled. He remembered the tub incident, a light blush coming to his cheeks.

"What happened?" Seto asked. "I can hear you're nervous..."

"Er, well, see...Annie was taking a bath and I was watching her and then we kissed and I fell in and she said I should take off my wet clothes so I did and then I got in the bath with her and they're probably going to be really mad!" Syrus somehow managed to explain all in one breath, talking quickly.

To his surprise, Seto began to laugh. "Oh, man! That happened to me, and Kisara's dad just cracked up!"

He was surprised. "Huh? H-He did??"

"Yeah...See, Kisara's parents were gone on a trip...this was after we got engaged, and she got sick with the flu...She was a real mess and needed my help and well, I had to help her clean off in the tub and I fell in and...see...she'd kind of thrown up on me..."

Syrus sweat-dropped, glad that Annie hadn't thrown up on him. "So...then you don't think that they'll be mad?"

"Well, ask Annie what she thinks and then...maybe you should come clean with them...Kisara was nervous about it, but I wanted to be totally honest with her parents about what happened."

"All right...thanks, Seto. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me about?"

"I just wanted to be sure you're all right...if you need advice, call me..."

"Okay, I will. Thanks again, Seto. Bye," he replied before hanging up.

"Is everything okay?" Annie asked when Sy hung up the phone.

"Yeah, Annie. Uh...can I ask you something?" He had gone back to making the sandwiches as he talked.

"Sure, Sy...What is it?" Annie wondered.

"Well, uh, you don't think that...your parents will get upset when they find out about the, uh...tub incident, do you?" he asked nervously.

Annie flushed. "Um...I don't know...I mean...we didn't do anything and you fell in while helping me and...oh, boy..."

Syrus frowned. "I knew it. They're going to hate me..."

"I...think we ought to talk to them, Sy," Annie swallowed.

"Yeah, that's what Seto said. I just...don't want them to make us break up, Annie..."

"They can't force us to break up," Annie said, a determined look coming to her face. "I won't let them..."

He smiled and then looked stunned. "But...you'd really go against your family...just for me?"

Annie nodded. "I love you, Sy, and there's no way I will lose you..."

"Thanks, Annie...I'd do the same for you. But...when should we tell them?" he asked, putting away the sandwich things.

Annie swallowed. "The longer we wait, the worse it'll be...but if we tell them now...it won't be bad...I mean...it was an accident," she said with a little smile.

"All right...but could we at least wait until I meet them in person?" Syrus asked, walking over to the table with two ham-and-mayo sandwiches.

"Sy...I think we should call them after lunch," she answered, looking a bit nervous.

"Well, all right. If you think so, Annie...uh, did you still want to eat outside in Mom's garden??"

"Sure, Sy, I'd love to...it's such a nice day out anyway...I can't promise the same in Seattle...the weather is unpredictable until early July...OH! You're going to get to see the fireworks displays on the Fourth of July!" she said happily.

"That sounds great, Annie!" he replied happily as they went outside. The sun was still bright, though some cloud cover and a light breeze made it cooler.

Annie sighed happily. "Ah...this is so nice," she said as they sat down on a garden bench. "Thanks, Sy..."

"You're welcome, Annie. Uh, you're okay with what I made, right?" he asked nervously, handing her a sandwich.

"Oh, yum!" Annie said. "I love ham and mayo!" She bit down happily.

"That's good," Syrus replied, taking a bite out of his sandwich. They were sitting under the strange tree from before, the leaves and pink blossoms shading them from the sun's rays.

"That tree must be magic," Annie said, looking up at it. "The way your mom described it...it does seem like a magic tree..."

He smiled. "Oh, Mom told you about it? Zane and I would play around it all the time...and no one could ever figure out what kind of tree it was."

"Yeah, she told me the morning before I ended up in the hospital...and she told me about you guys falling asleep under the tree and I told her about the time I found you sleeping under Jaden's tree..."

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Syrus said, blushing a little. Suddenly, a butterfly flew past, then circled around to land on his nose. Annie laughed happily, and as she did, another butterfly came and landed on her head like a hairclip. Syrus blinked, staring cross-eyed at the butterfly on his nose before glancing at the one on Annie. "Uh, why do you think they're so attracted to us, Annie?" he asked curiously.

Annie thought and then smelled her hand, so as not to disturb her small visitor. "It's the bath salt scent, Sy! They make us smell good to the butterflies...Oh, and yours is a Monarch Butterfly!" The butterfly was a gorgeous yellow one with black and orange markings.

"Oh...I've seen these fly around Mom's garden before, but never one up close." He managed to move the butterfly onto his index finger, where it flexed its wings a bit. "I'm not sure which yours is, Annie. It's a deep blue with black edges."

Annie smiled and reached up. The butterfly climbed onto her finger as well. "I don't know what it is, but it's beautiful. I love butterflies..." She held her arm and finger out and her butterfly flew away.

Syrus's butterfly quickly flew after Annie's, the two fluttering around each other. "Yeah...me, too. Looks like they're friends."

"Yeah...I think that's a good omen," Annie observed, moving so she could rest her head on her boyfriend's shoulder.

Syrus smiled, kissing Annie's hair before leaning his head on her own. "Yeah..."

They each drank sodas Sy had brought out and then Annie said softly, "Let's call my mom and dad..."

He bit his bottom lip nervously at the statement. "Well, all right..." They stood and started out of the garden back towards the house.

Annie took Sy's hand. "It'll be okay, Sy..."

"Okay...you should probably call and talk to them first, though. Right?" he asked as they entered the kitchen.

Annie nodded. "Yeah..." She sat down and Sy brought her the phone. She dialed quickly and the phone began to ring.

All the way in Seattle, Washington, Alex Hanson answered the phone. "Hello, Hanson residence. Alex Hanson speaking."

"Hi, Daddy!" Annie said cheerfully.

"Annie! Sweetie, it's so nice to hear from you!! How are you doing?"

"Oh, okay...listen, Daddy, um...I needed to tell you something, and please don't be mad at Sy... It was my idea…"

Alex was surprised, and frowned. "Annie, you can tell me. I won't be angry unless he hurt you in some way. But I can tell he'd never do that."

"Well, he didn't hurt me. We just...took a bath together..."

He blinked, silent for a few moments as her statement registered in his brain. Then, he started laughing, before bringing himself back to the conversation. "Oh, Annie, is that all? You two have been dating for a while now...I don't mind if you had a bath together."

"Um...Daddy? Are you okay?" Annie asked. Whatever reaction she'd been expecting, this wasn't it. His only virgin daughter, naked in a bathtub with a guy she wasn't even engaged to? "Daddy, we're not even engaged...and...you're okay with it?"

"Sweetie, were both of you okay with the idea? Comfortable, even??"

"Yeah...though Sy and I were a little nervous...but he'd fallen in the tub and he was soaking wet..."

This just caused Alex to laugh again, though lighter this time. "Annie, if it was purely an accident, and the after effects were fine with both of you, then there's no reason for me to be mad."

"Oh...okay, Daddy...maybe you should talk to Sy. He was worried you and Mom would hate him..."

"Really?? Well, then it probably is a good idea that I speak with him."

"Okay...Sy, Daddy wants to talk to you," Annie said, handing her boyfriend the phone and smiling. "He's not mad!"

"R-Really? Hello??"

"Hello, Syrus! This is Alex. Annie's told me that you were really worried about how I would react to the little incident."

"Yeah...you're really not mad?"

"No, of course not. I have no reason to be. It was an accident, and then you both were fine with it."

"Wow...thanks, sir."

"Just call me Alex, Syrus."

"All right...Alex..." Annie smiled as she heard the conversation and squeezed Sy's hand.

"Well, I'll see you kids tomorrow. Goodbye, Syrus. Tell Annie goodbye from me and that I love her."

"I will, Alex. Bye..." Syrus hung up the phone and set it down, smiling at Annie. "I guess Seto was right. Your dad wasn't mad at all."

"Yeah...I wasn't sure how he'd react...I mean...it's kind of well known that dads go postal on their daughters' boyfriends when there's an incident," Annie blushed.

"I think he was worried that you were going to say something like what happened to Violet...I bet her dad came close to beating her ex-boyfriend." Syrus was glad that Alex had thought that he would never do such a thing, though.

"That was different...He hurt Violet, and Daddy said if you'd hurt me, then he'd have gotten mad..."

"Yeah, but I'd never hurt you, Annie. I love you too much. If anything, I'd be protecting you," Syrus replied, kissing her.

She kissed back. "I know...Hey, could we watch a movie?"

"Sure. Mom and dad have some DVDs in the family room." He stood and helped Annie to her feet, the two walking over to the living room.

Annie looked over the DVDs and then grinned. "Oh, they have 'Moulin Rouge!' I love this one!"

"I've never seen it before, but I'll watch it. I think it's Mom's favorite, too." Syrus took the DVD and went to play it, while Annie sat on the couch.

"It's a sad story, but I always pretend it ended differently...and I love the music...Violet likes it because the lead kind of sounds like Bastion...never heard him sing, though..."

"Oh, you mean he has a British accent? That's cool," he replied, sitting down. Syrus picked up the remote and started the movie, wrapping an arm around Annie's shoulders.

"Oh, Sy...I need my medicine," Annie remembered.

"Oh! That's right!!" He quickly paused the movie and stood, going into the kitchen. A few moments later, Syrus returned with the bottle of medication.

"I'm glad this is in pill form," Annie said, relieved. "I didn't want to have to inject it..."

"Yeah...I don't like needles, either," Syrus admitted as he sat, taking out two of the pills for her.

Annie took the pills and swallowed them with a glass of water. "Yay, now we can watch the movie!" And so they sat back and watched one of the craziest musicals of all time. Annie smiled. "This is sad and funny at the same time...the director's a sort of mad genius, judging by how his movies turn out..."

"Yeah. The movie was really funny and romantic, but the ending was sad," Syrus replied, an arm around Annie's shoulders.

"I love the medley in the finale, even if Christian ended up without her. And I love that he told their story." She hummed a bit of the ending music.

"That was one of the good parts. You know...it may sound weird, but...Christian reminds me of Bastion," he stated, grinning sheepishly.

Annie thought a moment and then grinned. "I wonder if he can sing like Ewan MacGregor...I don't think he'd want Violet to be Satine though, unless he could change the ending and have the TB be a strain that's cured by antibiotics..." She sobered at the last.

At first, Syrus laughed a little. "We could always ask him to sing something..." But then he sobered as well, frowning. "I don't think any of us could take losing one of you. Tyson, Jaden, Bastion, me...who knows what we'd do if we lost our true love..." The last part slipped out before he could stop himself, and he blushed.

"Oh, Sy," Annie said. "You don't know how good that makes me feel to hear you say that...because...well...I feel the same way..." She was lightly blushing as she said it. "You're my...Imzadi..."

Syrus smiled at first, but then was confused. "I'm your...what??"

"Oh, crud...it's a term from a Star Trek race of telepaths. Its surface meaning is 'my beloved,' but its deeper mean is the first person to really touch you to your heart and soul...that person is the great love of your life..." Now she was a deeper shade of red.

His smile widened and he pulled Annie closer to him on the couch. "Annie, that's nice. Better than anything you could have said in English..."

"It is?" Annie asked, enjoying the cuddling.

"Yeah...I know I couldn't think of anything better than that to say...at least in this language." Syrus answered, resting his head gently on hers. Annie might've said something more, but then decided to stay silent. And then she yawned, lunch and the movie, combined with her medication making her tired. "Are you tired, Annie? Want to rest for a bit??" he asked.

"Mmmhmm," she murmured, already drifting.

"Uh, well, don't fall asleep yet. I'm not like the other guys, I can't carry...you...Never mind." Syrus realized that she was already half asleep, and just sighed. He was a bit drowsy himself, and decided to just rest his eyes for a bit.

"Mmmm...I could stay like this forever..." Annie whispered softly. "I love you, Sy..." And together they fell asleep, sweetly.

_And so, Syrus and Annie have enjoyed a peaceful early afternoon. But can that peace last? Next time: "Bastion and Violet's Day Out!" What will happen on Bastion and Violet's date? Tune in next time, and until then, read and review! Thank you!_


	50. Bastion and Violet's Day Out

Chapter L: Bastion and Violet's Day Out

_Welcome back, everyone! And thank you again for your continuing reviews for this tale as well as Peach Wookiee's "Serving Cruelty," which explains why the Society of Light didn't occur in this timeline. Anyway, as usual, two female authors are thrilled that you have paid such attention to this story._

_Last time, Annie and Sy spent time alone together and saw each other in their birthday suits. They enjoyed the bath, got out, had lunch and then enjoyed a movie together, falling asleep. So what will happen to Bastion and Violet on their day out in the city? Stay tuned!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the previous chapters. We don't own what we don't own. We own what we do, including this story idea.**_

_**Warning: A happy, somewhat unusual Bastion and mild cursing. Bastion is admittedly unusual. We know. But we believe it is consistent with this Yugi-verse. Thank you.**_

Hiro pulled into an empty spot on the side of the road, near the heart of Domino City. "All right, here we are. You two have fun now!" he said encouragingly.

Violet grinned. "We will, Hiro! Thanks!!" she cheered, jumping out onto the sidewalk.

"Thanks, Dad!" Bastion said. "We should be home early in the evening..."

"Right. Just give us a call, son. I or your mother will come to take you two home," Hiro replied, giving a wave before driving back into the main road. While Bastion had been talking to his father, Violet was playing with a black cat she'd found a few feet away.

"Violet, are you..? Oh, what a darling c--AAAAAUGH!!" Bastion had reached out to pet the cat, only to have it go psycho on him, as cats sometimes do. "Oh, bloody...Ow..." Bastion now sported a cut on his right cheek and fang marks on his wrist as the cat ran away.

Violet had watched, grimacing, as the once-friendly cat blatantly mauled her fiancé. "Uh...are you okay, Bastion-baby? You're kind of ble-oh. Blood." She went a little pale and had to turn her gaze to his shoes or risk losing her breakfast.

"I'm all right, darling...ah, the wrist is already healing nicely. I'll have to clean my cheek off, though...Does it look bad?" he asked.

"Er..." Violet forced her eyes to look back at his face and winced, sweat-dropping. Three slightly deep diagonal lines ran across his cheek, a few drops of blood leaking from them. "You're, ah, bleeding...oh..." Violet gagged inwardly, and tried to stop her shaking legs from collapsing. 'Calm down, Violet. It's just blood, you have it, too. But...it's so, eww...' she thought.

"Violet?!" Bastion yelped. He got to her quickly. "Are you all right? Oh...I forgot...you're afraid of blood, aren't you? I'm sorry..."

"Oh, uh, it's okay, Bastion. It's not your fault...but, maybe we should fix that..." Violet replied, swallowing and regaining control of her weakened limbs. She twitched a little at the sudden closeness of it, since Bastion was now right beside her.

"It's all right, just don't look..." They made their way down the street to a Starbucks. As soon as they came in the door, Bastion sat her down in a plush chair next to a fireplace and then got her a bottle of water. "I'll just step in the loo for a moment and clean up...Just relax and take some deep breaths, Violet love," he soothed. "Will you be all right by yourself for a moment?"

Violet sighed, hands wrapped around the water bottle. "Yeah, don't worry about me! You just clean up and hope we don't run into any more kitties!!"

"Usually, they're so nice...but...oh, well, I'll be back quickly," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. He headed into the bathroom and soaked a paper towel, then put some soap on the towel. Bastion cleaned the cut, then got another towel, soaking it and rinsing the cut. Finally he patted the cut dry and headed back out to Violet, his cheek looking better. He hadn't noticed, however, that someone had moved a chair in his absence. "Violet, I'm...AUGH!" He felt forward, luckily missing the fireplace and hitting carpet.

Violet blinked, turning her gaze to the floor and her fiancé. "Uh...Bastion-baby? Last time I checked, you were supposed to sit in a chair," she stated, confused. However, her confusion didn't stop her from helping him onto his feet, the Starbucks luckily going through a dead time of the business day.

"That...wasn't there when I left..." Bastion said, looking dazed. "Violet, are you feeling better?"

"Yup! Oh, and I can explain the chair. See..."

CATCATCAT

Violet sighed with boredom, tapping her water bottle against the table. 'Bored, bored, bored-oh!' she thought. Her eyes widened as she picked up the wooden salt shaker, which she'd never seen before. "I didn't know they made wooden ones..." Violet was about to put it back when someone bumped into her, causing her to spill the salt. "Oh, shoot! Bad luck, bad luck. Was it left shoulder or right? Uh, uh..." She picked up some of the salt and threw it over her right shoulder...straight into another customer's face.

"Ah! It burns!!" he yelled, covering his stinging eyes. Violet was going to apologize, but the man ran out of the Starbucks, knocking his chair into the walkway.

"Uh...the bathroom's the other way," she mumbled, blinking.

CATCATCAT

"And that's what happened! I guess it was the left shoulder," Violet sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly.

"Quite all right, darling, don't worry..." Bastion grinned sheepishly. "Let's just head to Chez Montmartre...I think you'll like it..."

"Chez-what??" she asked as they left. The sun was shining brilliantly, but a light breeze kept everyone outdoors cool and comfortable. As they walked, Violet imagined what it would be like back in Cleveland at this time. 'It definitely wouldn't be this comfortable...I hope Bastion-baby can take the heat,' she thought.

"Chez Montmartre...it's named after a section of Paris...it serves some excellent basic French food and the lunches are astonishing...I think you'll like their crepes or perhaps you might enjoy their potato pie Montlucon...it is one of my favorites..."

Violet was still staring up at the blue sky and the fluffy white clouds, though her mind paid attention. "French...never eaten at a French restaurant before. I've had crepes...but not potato pie. Is it like sweet potato pie?" As they walked, she went right under a ladder leaning against the wall of an electronics store.

"Not exact...VIOLET LOOK OUT!" Bastion shouted, shoving her out of the way as a bucket came crashing down.

The bucket crashed to the sidewalk with a loud "bang", a few nails hopping out of it. "Sorry down there! Are you two kids all right?" called a man from the platform above.

Violet had ended up face-planting the sidewalk from Bastion's shove, which didn't feel very good in her opinion. "Ow..."

"I think so!" Bastion shouted up. "Nothing hit us! Violet, are you all right?" he asked, preparing to help her up, only to slip on something on the ground.

Violet peeled her face from the pavement and blinked; her face was bright red and her right cheek bone was bruised a little. To top it off, her face smacked into the ground once more when Bastion landed on her back. "Oof! Double ow..."

"Oh, Violet, I'm so sorry!" Bastion yelped. He got on his knees, now skinned a little bit, to help her up. "Here, let me help you up, darling..."

Violet once more peeled her face from the pavement, the bruise more profound and some blood running from her nose. "Ouch...my face hurts. Does it look bad?" she asked, getting into a sitting position. Her knees and hands were skinned lightly as well.

"Oh, dear...darling, here, you need my handkerchief...perhaps we'd better order things to go...we're rather a mess, aren't we? Hold your head forward..."

"Uh, okay..." She did as he said, the handkerchief catching blood from her nose. "I wonder why we're getting so much bad luck in one day? You don't think...it's an omen, do you??" Violet asked worriedly.

"Darling...it's just we're having a bit of a...rather strange day...Things just happen...In my first year at the school...I doubt you remember this, but one day I had to take a cold shower and then I was late to class and then I headed to the loo and someone thought it would be an absolute hoot to spray me with water in a certain...place..."

That made Violet laugh, remembering the day quite clearly. "Yep! It was probably the first time you were late to class, and everyone was shocked. Then, when we met after classes, I saw your pants and asked if you had..." At this she smirked, "...bladder issues."

Bastion started cracking up. "You didn't forget! Oh, that actually made it better. And then I had to go change. Until then, I'd actually wanted to pound Terry Rogers into the pavement for that...for a brief moment..."

"Aw, Terry was just having some fun then. But when he went so far as to trip you, I made him pay. Didn't I?" Violet remembered how she'd practically ruined Terry's underpants while giving him her version of an "atomic wedgie".

Bastion, if it was even possible, was laughing even harder. "Miss Fontaine had to use her forceps to...rearrange matters...and he could barely sit for a week!!"

Violet grinned proudly, by now her bleeding nose having stopped. "Yep! Learned that from my brother, who learned it from Dad. So...are we still going to eat at that cafe you were talking about?"

Bastion looked at himself and Violet in a store window. "Would it be all right if we got take-out? I think it looks like we took a road trip through Baghdad before the government got control..."

She sweat-dropped, realizing that he had a point. "All right. As long as we eat something...isn't there a plaza with a fountain nearby? Maybe we can eat there."

"Oh, yes...we'll stop at the bistro and get the food. Then we can go to the fountain and enjoy the day..." He smiled. "Wonderful idea, Violet darling, and romantically al fresco..."

Violet pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Bastion-baby, the only language I know is English. Mind telling me what a 'bistro' and 'al fresco' are?" she asked as they continued walking.

"A bistro is just a small restaurant that serves simple foods for decent prices. And al fresco simply means outside, darling," he explained. Chez Montmartre was in view and Bastion went to the restaurant and grabbed a menu. "Take a look, Violet, and see if there's anything you'd like. I know what I'd like, but I was wondering if you'd like their chocolate cream for dessert?"

"That sounds yummy! Now what to get for lunch..." Violet's eyes flew back and forth across the menu, searching for something she'd like. "Oh, that looks tasty. I'll have the miriepoix," she stated simply. Violet pointed to the short description on the menu; it was a combination of onions, carrots, and celery to make a sort of salad-like dish.

"Hmmm...that actually sounds good...I think I'll do that as well," Bastion said. "And I'll add their baguette so we have a good bread to go with it, all right?"

"Alrighty!" Violet grinned as Bastion ordered the food, the restaurant having installed an outside counter since so many people liked to eat at the nearby fountain.

Bastion also got them drinks and then received the take-out boxes from the cashier. "Oh, this place is excellent, darling. Shall we go get a seat, then?"

"Yup! Let's go!!" she cheered. Violet would have dragged Bastion like she usually did, but didn't want to risk him dropping the food. So, they simply walked to the fountain, which was a bit abandoned because of the time of day. Violet promptly sat down, smiling at her reflection in the water.

Bastion smiled as he sat down next to her. "You know, darling, I can't think of any other way I'd rather spend a day than with you..." He handed her the box of lunch with great gravity. "Your lunch, milady..."

Violet laughed a little, giving Bastion a quick peck on the lips. "Thank you, good sir. But you know...I think you'll change your mind about this best date when we get to Cleveland. I have some stuff planned..." A maniacal grin flashed across her face, though it quickly disappeared with a shovelful of food.

"Oh?" Bastion asked, taking a bite of his salad. "Oh, this is delicious, Violet. I'd never tried this salad before..."

"Yup! And dad always said I had a good eye for good food." She giggled and ate some more, creating a pause in her part of the conversation. "We're going to go into the city on Sunday, and I just know that you're going to love it!"

"Smashing! I'm very sure I will...I want to know everything there is about you, love..." Bastion smiled, continuing to eat. Finally they reached their dessert, chocolate cream with whipped cream, topped with candied violets. "I had them do this for us, Violet. They add the violets on request and I thought you might like it..."

She blinked and picked one up, tossing it into her mouth. "Oh, oh! Yummy!! I didn't know anything this sweet could be named after me!" she cheered, stars in her eyes. Violet gave her fiancé a quick hug, before they started on the dessert and continued conversation.

"Well, as they say...sweets to the sweet," Bastion said suavely. He took her hand gently. Violet blushed, the plastic spoon still in her mouth. She quickly pulled it out and kissed him, motivated by the sudden passionate urge triggered by his statement. Bastion stood up and held her to him and twirled her around as the male lead in romantic movies sometimes does in front of a fountain. However, this was not a romantic movie, and this wasn't Italy or the other settings for such movies. Bastion wasn't paying attention to where he was twirling her and tripped. Violet giggled as he twirled her, and didn't realize that he'd tripped until they both met with the fountain water. She gasped in surprise, automatically pulling in a few mouthfuls of chlorinated water. Of course, that didn't taste too good, and she immediately sat up coughing. Bastion, too, sat up abruptly. "OH BLOODY HELL!"

Violet blinked in surprise at his shout, staring over at him with wide eyes. Then, she giggled, which soon evolved into raucous laughter. "Ha-ha-ha, Bastion-baby, you—ha-ha-ha!" She couldn't talk for how much she was laughing, finding something hilarious about him.

Bastion coughed and sputtered, realizing he couldn't breathe well out of his nose. "Violet...darling, do I have something in my nose?"

Violet forced herself to calm down enough to at least speak, though her answer was still crowded by giggles. "Yeah, you have—hee-hee-- a dime up—ha-ha-ha-- your nose!" Once she'd said the fact out loud, she couldn't help but start laughing all over again.

"Can you...dislodge it? I believe my fingers are too fat..."

She blinked, seeming to have finally run out of laughs. "Uh, okay..." Violet reached over and gripped the part that was still hanging out, then pulled. It took her three tries before it finally popped out, with enough force to send her splashing onto her back in the water. "Holy moly..."

"Ouch...thank you, darling...Perhaps...we should call Mum?" he asked.

Violet pulled herself back into a sitting position, grinning sheepishly. "Uh, yeah...that might be a good idea. But, shouldn't we get out first?"

Bastion noticed there were people gathering around. "I believe you're right..." He stood up and offered his hand to her, helping her up. "I was hoping this would be like one of those older movies where the hero kisses the heroine and they live happily ever after...but you know...I think I like our wild and crazy insanity better..."

She giggled as they climbed out, sitting back on the fountain's bench-like edge. "Yeah! This is way more fun than one of those movies!! I haven't had this much fun since I was a little kid."

"I don't think I've had this much fun...ever," Bastion admitted. "You're much better than studying...I'm glad I put my mobile in a waterproof pouch today," he said, retrieving it.

"I'm glad that you consider me to be more fun than textbooks, Bastion-baby," she joked, grinning.

"You're more fun than a symposium at Los Alamos!" Bastion said happily. It might not've made a great deal of sense, but to him, such a thing seemed a big deal.

And at that, Violet's brain overloaded. "Uh...sympo-what at where?" She really had no idea what he was talking about. Bastion had truly outdone himself at confusing her this time.

"Never mind," he said. He dialed the phone. "Hello, Mum? Yeah, could you come and pick us up..? Oh...all right, then...20 minutes... She'll be here in twenty minutes, darling," Bastion said as a drop of water hit his nose.

"Eh?? And now it's raining!" Violet felt a drop hit her nose as well, and stuck out her tongue in response. Not a moment later, another drop hit her tongue, causing her to grin excitedly.

And then, it began to pour. "All right... WE DANCE IN THE RAIN! AND SING!" Bastion yelled triumphantly as it poured.

"Hooray! That's the spirit!!" she cheered, jumping to her feet. Violet leapt into a small puddle, spinning on her heel happily.

He put an arm around her waist and then took her right hand. "Let's waltz!" and he danced with her gracefully as if they were in a ballroom wearing a tuxedo and ball gown, respectively.

"I've never waltzed before! This is fun!!" Violet replied, grinning as they danced and twirled in the pouring rain.

Bastion looked at Violet, reflecting on how beautiful she looked and then he noticed she was soaked to the skin and in a white t-shirt which was now see-through. He could now see her bra beneath her shirt. He blushed, staring. Violet had her eyes closed, simply enjoying the moment. She opened her eyes again to ask Bastion how long it'd been since he called Katai. "Hey, Bastion-baby, how lo-uh...Bastion-baby? Hello??" Violet wondered why he was staring at her, not having noticed that his gaze went below her face.

Bastion shook his head. "Um...Violet, were you...er...talking?" His voice had gone up an octave.

"Yeah...but first, what in the name of Pluto just happened to your voice? And why were you all spaced out on me?"

"Violet..." he said in the same octave, and then forced it down. "Darling, you are wearing a white t-shirt and I can...see your..." His face was red.

Violet blinked, and glanced down at her shirt. "OH!!" she gasped. Violet quickly pulled away from him on instinct, turning around and covering her chest with her arms. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid! Mom always said wearing white on dates would cause bad luck!!' she thought.

"Here, Violet, take my jacket," Bastion said quickly, recovering his senses and handing her the soaked but opaque gold jacket.

She quickly put it on and buttoned it, finally turning around with a heavy blush on her face. "Sorry, Bastion...I should have known better than to wear white..."

"It's all right...I...um...er..." Bastion swallowed, smiling.

"You what?" she asked, curious. They were both still standing in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone.

"I think...you look even more beautiful..."

Her blush intensified a little, and she then noticed that Bastion was also wearing a white shirt. In other words, Violet got to see a good show of his chest and muscles now that his jacket was off. "So do you..."

"Uh...what?" Bastion asked, putting his arm around her.

Violet giggled and pointed. "You, sir, have a very nice six pack."

"Oh...thank you..." Bastion said. "Violet, I think you have very nice...er..."

"Assets? That's what mom calls hers..."she replied, giggling.

"Yes...that's what I meant, darling...Blast, where's Mum? I don't want you getting sick again!"

Just then a car pulled up. "KIDS, OVER HERE!" Katai called.

"HEY, MUM!" Bastion called back.

"Oh, yeah. You get sick from being out in the rain too long..." They climbed into the back seat of the car, both dripping water everywhere.

"Oh, good grief! The weather can be so unpredictable around here sometimes!" Katai said. "Are you two all right?"

"Yes, Mum," Bastion said, then sneezed.

"Uh-oh, looks like you're the one who's going to get sick," Violet stated, frowning. She hugged him, trying to make him warmer.

"I'll be quite all right, darling," Bastion said, sneezing again. "Oh, bugger."

"Bastion, Violet, you're going straight home and getting your pajamas on, both of you...We'll get you dry and warm and you can watch some movies, all right?" Katai said. Bastion sneezed again.

"All right. And don't worry, Bastion-baby. I'll be your nurse!" Violet replied, smiling. Not wanting to catch his cold, Violet reached up to kiss his cheek.

_So, Bastion and Violet have caught the sniffles, it seems. So what will happen to our couple after this? Next time: Just a Cold? Until next time, please read and review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	51. Just a Cold?

Chapter LI: Just a Cold?

_Hello again, _Summer Love, Summer Fears _readers! We're at the 51__st__ chapter of this tale and we, Peach and 15animefreak15 are honored you've stayed with us this long and made this our most-reviewed tale ever! Peach forwards every single review to 15animefreak15, so we both read our reviews. And just a reminder, everyone, that this tale is an alternate timeline where Chazz chose not to join the Society of Light, not giving Sartorius the opportunity to get a foothold. And this is the timeline where Zane didn't fall to the dark side. For more information, please read Peach's tales, "Serving Cruelty," and the continuing "The Path to Redemption."_

_Last time, Bastion and Violet spent the morning and early afternoon out and had a few mishaps. Now, we've got two kids who are soaked from the rain. So what will happen next? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters. In addition, we don't own any medicines; those belong to pharmaceutical corporations. Thank you and don't sue. We're not worth it. And special thanks to various medical websites. We strive for medical accuracy and hope we haven't driven you insane with that, dear readers.**_

"Violet, don't you worry. I'll take care of both of you," Katai said. "I don't want you overworking..."

"All right...but I still want to help out! He is my fiancé, after all," Violet reminded her future mother-in-law as they pulled into the driveway. By now it had stopped raining, and the sun was starting to sink towards the ground.

"You'll help out best by just getting warm and dry, okay, Violet? You kids had a late lunch, didn't you?"

"Yes, Mum..." Bastion said, though it came out, "Yes, Bumb..."

"Someone's sick," sang Violet jokingly. The two climbed out of the car, and were quickly hustled inside by a worried mother.

"Go upstairs and get in some dry clothes. Just leave them on the floor and I'll pick them up. Bastion, sweetie, I'll bring one of the TVs in the guestroom so you two can watch a movie together. And you're going to need some vapor rub on your neck and chest."

"Oh, Bumb, I hade thad!" Bastion groaned.

"Do you want to go to Ohio tomorrow?"

"Yes, Bumb..."

Violet couldn't help but giggle at the way her fiancé was talking, though she winced. "Uh-oh, looks like I'm not completely well. Sore throat...just had to be that." She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh, Violet, honey," Katai said. "I'll get you some tea and medicine, too, all right? And I'm going to give Kisara a call since you're pretty much her patient."

'Oh man, not more tea!' thought Violet, hiding her distaste. "Uh, okay, Katai. Thanks." With that, the engaged couple made their way upstairs, each suffering an ailment from their rendition of "Singing in the Rain".

"Darling, Bumb is going to be tough on us, you doh," Bastion sniffed, sounding terribly stuffy. "I'll change in by roomb, and join you in a binute..."

Violet knew it would hurt, but she couldn't stop herself from laughing. His speech was just so funny sounding! "Ha-ha--ow, I know. See you in a bit..." They split, each going into their respective rooms. 'We may have gotten sick, but that was the most fun I've had in a long, long time,' she thought, smiling.

Katai, meanwhile, headed downstairs and made a phone call. "Hello, Kisara?"

On a mobile a few minutes away, Kisara Kaiba smiled. "Oh, hi, Katai...is everything all right?"

"Not really...Bastion and Violet both have colds again..."

"And with Violet already recovering from something...oh, goodness...same as the last time?"

"No, fortunately, but just in case..."

"I'll be right over..." Kisara said. "See you in a bit, Katai!"

"Thank you, Kisara..." And Katai hung up the phone.

Violet, by this point, had changed out of her wet clothes and into a set of pajamas; a lavender tank top and plum-colored pants. Her hair was out of its ponytail, and at the moment she sat on her bed brushing out the tangles. "Stupid rain. Stupid…weak…immune system," she muttered with each stroke.

Bastion, meanwhile in his room, felt like he was sluggishly moving through water. 'Probably just all that happened this week...' He managed to get his wet clothes off and then get a fresh pair of boxers and his comfortable green cotton button down pajamas on. "Oh..." he groaned softly.

Violet sighed in a bored way and decided to surprise Bastion-- she'd already seen him naked. So, she stood and left her room, going across the hallway to his bedroom door. Violet got there just in time to hear his groan, and she opened the door a crack to peek inside.

Bastion was pale and sitting on his bed. "Oh...hello, Violet..." He could just see her purple hair.

"Aw, you caught me..." She pouted and walked inside, but quickly grew serious when she noticed his current state. "Bastion-baby? Are you okay??" Violet asked worriedly, sitting beside him on the bed.

He was a bit sweaty and tired. "I just really feel drained, darling...is this how you felt?"

"Uh...yup, pretty much. I just hope mine won't get bad again. After all, I did just get better...Of course, I want you to get well, too," she explained, falling onto her back comfortably.

"Could...we move to your room? The bed's a bit bigger," he observed. "I...might require a little assistance to get there..."

Violet was immediately back up on her feet, grinning broadly. "Hooray! I get to be your nurse!!" she cheered. However, this was followed by a quiet "ow" from straining her vocal cords to do so. Violet then took his hand and pulled him to his feet, allowing Bastion to lean on her for support.

Together, they headed to the guestroom and got comfortable under the warm blanket and covers. "Goodness...this feels much better," Bastion said, feeling the cool sheets.

Violet grabbed Tiffles, then simultaneously cuddled the plush Watapon and Bastion at the same time. "It's too bad we're both sick. Otherwise, this would be perfect..."

"It's still pretty good in...m-my...b-book..." Bastion had started to shiver.

She noticed this, and did the first solution that came to mind. Violet abandoned Tiffles and wrapped both arms around her fiancé, acting like another warm blanket. "Is that better?"

Bastion had gotten the chills and then he felt hot. "It feels warm in here now..."

Violet sighed and got off of him, pulling back the covers. "This is getting annoying...I hope it stops here."

Bastion shivered again. "Wh-what's wrong with me?"

"I'll go get Katai, you just stay here. Tiffles, watch him for me!" The Watapon duel spirit appeared, letting out a squeak from the bedside. Violet stood and left the room, quickly making her way downstairs. "Katai?" she called, wincing.

"Violet, honey, you should be in bed. Kisara's on her way...Is something wrong?" the woman asked, concern etching her features.

"Bastion's getting cold, then feverish, then cold again and we're both really confused," Violet explained, frowning.

"Oh, no...fever and chills...he hasn't had that in a long time," Katai said. Just then the doorbell rang. "Violet, go back up with Bastion, and I'll get the door..."

"Okay..." Violet turned and started back upstairs, but had to stop at the top. She had a bit of a dizzying feeling, like when one goes up the stairs too fast. And then came the headache that usually accompanied such dizziness. "Ow...ow… ow..."

Katai got to the door fast and opened it. Sure enough... "Hey, Katai, two sick ones now?" Kisara asked.

"Yeah...And I'm sure Bastion has a fever now. Can I do anything?"

"Yeah...heat up some water for tea...I have a sweet tea for Violet...that green I gave her wasn't exactly good tasting..." Kisara headed to the stairs, climbed up and saw Violet, barely keeping her balance. "Violet?" the doctor and young mother called as she came up.

Violet jumped a little at the voice, slapping her hand against the wall to steady herself. "Ow, who--? Oh, Kisara, hi...ow," she groaned, placing her free hand against her throbbing forehead. 'I'd give my arms and legs for an Advil right now,' she thought, one eye closed in pain.

"You won't have to do that, honey. Let's get you in bed...Where's Bastion?"

"My room; we were...going to watch a movie," Violet explained, forced to pause in the middle to regain her balance again. She now knew that dizziness + headache very, very BAD.

Kisara, realizing this, got an arm around the teen girl. "Take it easy, sweetie...Let's just get you both to bed..." They walked into the room and Kisara helped Violet into the bed. "Bastion?" Kisara asked, moving to the other side.

"Ooh...Hello, Kisara," he groaned. "I feel cold and hot at the same time...what's wrong with me?"

Kisara put her hand to his forehead. "You've got a fever, young man...And Violet, I think you might, too..."

Violet felt the dizziness go away now that she was lying down, though the headache remained as a dull throb. "But I don't feel hot or cold...my throat just hurts and I have a headache. Not to mention the dizziness..."

"Hmmm...let me check your ears..." Kisara pulled out an ear instrument from her bag. "Just stay sitting for a minute okay, honey?"

"Okay," Violet sighed and sat-up, instantly being hit with a combined wave of dizziness and pain. "Oh, ow. Ow ow...ow."

She examined the girl's ears. "I know, sweetie, it hurts. Just hang in there a minute," Kisara soothed. She checked the ears quickly and made an easy diagnosis. "Violet, you've developed an ear infection. I'll prescribe you some antibiotics. Is there anything you're allergic to?"

Violet quickly lay back down and thought for a few moments. "Well, I think there are only two things. Twenty-four karat gold earrings gave me an ear infection once. And Blue Flowers make me sneeze."

"Then you're not allergic to amoxicillin?"

"Amoxi-what??" Violet asked, really not wanting to use her pained brain to think of what that could possibly be.

"Amoxicillin is an antibiotic, darling," Bastion moaned softly.

"He's right, honey...have you ever had trouble with antibiotics?"

"I've never had to take them before...at least I don't think so. I did have to take steroids one time for my foot," Violet explained, one arm placed over her eyes.

"Okay...well, I'll go by standard treatment, then...Bastion, I'll send your mom out to get the antibiotics. Fortunately, that stuff comes in pill form. Right now I need to take both your temps, so lie back down..."

Violet fell back onto the pillows, all of the dizziness and some of the pain leaving her instantly. "I always get sick...it's so annoying. I don't know why my immune system's so low. And now Bastion's sick, too," she mumbled, arm still covering her eyes.

"Honey, some people just get sick easier than others...have you ever had mono?" Kisara asked.

"No...I never actually caught any serious illnesses. I just get colds, sore throats, congestion, headaches, that sort of thing a lot. It was never bad enough to get me out of school, but plenty bad enough to make me miserable."

"All right...just let me press on your tummy a minute...I think I know what's going on with you..." Kisara examined Violet quickly. "Does it hurt when I press down at all?"

Violet blinked from behind the cover of her arm, then winced at the pressure. "Ow...yeah. I get pain there a lot, even without pressure, though..."

"How long has this been going on, Violet?" Kisara asked.

Bastion tried sitting up. "Violet?"

"Bastion, just rest for a minute," the doctor said firmly.

Now Violet really had to use her head, which didn't exactly appeal to her at that exact moment. But Violet grudgingly did so, ignoring the protesting pain. "Well...I've always had the pains since I was a kid, but only started getting sick a lot between seven and eight...I think."

"Have you ever had tests to figure out why you get sick?"

"No. Whenever I went to check-ups, the doctors said I was okay. Mom and Dad just figured I got myself sick with all of the running around I do..."

"Violet, I think we need to run some tests on you...I think I can make you better...Either way, you kids can't fly out to Ohio tomorrow...you're both too sick." She'd checked their temperatures and both were running fevers.

"Wha? But, my parents..." the teen girl began, frowning. But it seemed her mind really wanted payback for all the thinking she'd made it do. A wave of pain crashed over her and she stopped mid-sentence, gritting her teeth. "Thinking...bad," she managed to groan out.

"I'll call your parents, Violet, they'll understand and I need to get their consent. I have to run a couple of tests on you..."

"I need to...go with," Bastion groaned softly.

"Actually, you may just need to, Bastion," the doctor said. "But I'm going to wait until your dad gets home..."

Under any other circumstance, Violet probably would have sat up like lightning at the way this conversation was going. However, her headache convinced her otherwise, and she merely replaced her arm with a pillow. "Could this day get any worse?" came her muffled, almost inaudible question to the pillow. Then, they could all hear the front door close downstairs, a likely sign that Hiro was home.

"It'll be okay, Violet," Kisara soothed. "Just a minute...Katai?" she called down the stairs, "Is Hiro home yet?"

Hiro was surprised at the sound of Kisara's voice, and sent Katai a confused look before replying. "Yes, I'm home, Kisara! What are you doing here?" he called as he started upstairs.

"We've got two sick kids up here and I'm afraid we need to take them to Domino Children's," Kisara called back. Hiro came up the stairs looking a bit panicked. "It's not life-threatening," she said quickly to calm him.

"Oh no. How bad are they?" he asked worriedly. He had been hoping all of this hospital-business would be over with after Annie was released.

"I think Bastion just has a nasty virus...but Violet may have mono..." Kisara placed her hands behind her back. "Otherwise known as the kissing disease," she grinned, glancing back at the two sick kids, hoping to get a smile out of one of them.

Hiro was shocked, wondering why everything seemed to be going so badly lately. Violet groaned from under the pillow, the smile-if there was one-invisible. "Well, I can take Bastion in my car. Can you take Violet, unless you wanted to call an ambulance?"

"I could take all of you in the limo...it's outside...No sense in wasting the gas after all..."

"Dad...is that you?" Bastion groaned.

Hiro was by his son in a matter of moments. "Yes, son, it's me. Don't worry, we're going to get both you and Violet to the hospital..."

"The hospital? Am I dying?" Bastion asked.

"No, Bastion, but you might have the kissing disease!" Kisara teased. "All right, Violet...Bastion, let's get you kids over to the hospital. I'll call your parents en route, Violet, okay? At most, you two will be there overnight, no big..."

Violet let out a cross between a "yes" and a groan, showing that she understood. Hiro sighed, thinking for a moment. "I could perhaps carry Bastion...do you think you could handle Violet? If not, I can make two trips."

"Violet, can you walk?" Kisara asked.

She sighed and pulled down the pillow, opening her eyes halfway. "Yeah...but I guarantee a ninety-nine point five percent chance that I'll get dizzy and fall over."

"Okay, Violet...Hiro, get Bastion to the car and I'll get Roland...he's our family security man," she explained to Hiro.

She dialed her cell phone and within minutes, Roland was in the room. "Yes, Kisara?"

"Take Violet down to the limo, won't you? We need to head to Domino Children's."

"Yes, ma'am...This way, sir," he said to Hiro.

"Right then. Bastion, my boy, grab onto me for extra support, all right?" With that, Hiro lifted his son into his arms, which was no easy task. Meanwhile, Violet was easily picked up by Roland, and she closed her eyes again. The light kept intensifying her headache, which was why she'd been keeping her face covered.

"It's all right...Violet, right?" Roland asked.

"Oh, Dad...I feel like I was placed on a centrifuge," Bastion moaned. Katai followed her family out of the house, carefully turning things off and locking the door as the doctor and she exited.

Violet gave a confirmation similar to her early one, a cross between a "yes" and a groan. Meanwhile, Hiro sighed again. "I know, son. Don't worry, Kisara will make you right as rain again in no time," he said encouragingly. The three adults and two sick teens then got into the limo.

Kisara climbed in and dialed the number of the Haverbrooks. "I hate calling when it's later there..." she sighed.

Across the nation, four of five Haverbrooks were sitting down to dinner. Then the phone rang. "Bobby, could you get that?" asked Barbara, setting the table. Haylee was humming to herself as she helped her mother, and Alan was in the bathroom washing up.

"Oh, all right," Bobby replied, picking up the phone. "Hello, this is the Haverbrooks! Bobby speaking!!"

"Hi, Bobby, this is Kisara Kaiba. I'm taking care of your sister, Violet. Are your parents available? It's important that I speak with them."

Bobby, being the Haverbrook that he was, fell off the couch in shock. "KAIBA??" he blurted out.

Barbara sighed and snatched the phone from her only son's hand. "Sorry about that, Kisara. Bobby's a lot like Violet. Now, what is it that you're calling about?" she greeted. In the background, Haylee was crouched beside her brother, poking his forehead to try and revive him.

"I need some clearance to run a few tests on Violet. She's caught a bug again and I think she might have mono and that's why her immune system's been so wobbly. Is that all right if I do that?"

"Oh my..." Barbara had to sit down, her husband coming back just in time to see his shocked wife.

"Barb? What's wrong, honey??" he asked, frowning.

"Oh, Al, it's Violet. A doctor friend of hers wants permission to run some tests...she thinks that Violet might have mono," Barbara explained, frowning worriedly.

Alan took the phone from her so that his wife could calm herself down. "Hello, I'm Violet's father. I'd just like to know who exactly you are before I agree to any tests...apparently, my wife knows you."

"Hello, Mr. Haverbrook. I'm pleased to talk to you. My name is Kisara Kaiba and I've had the pleasure of getting to know your daughter."

"Kaiba...oh, I see. You're the wife of that big CEO from Kaiba Corp. Well, now that I know who you are, mind telling me what exactly is wrong with my daughter?"

"Well, you probably already know that her immune system isn't what it should be. Judging by her symptoms, I think she may have contracted mononucleosis, also known as mono at some point when she was little." Kisara took a breath. "I need to run a couple of tests and we'll keep her overnight at Domino Children's Hospital, if that's all right."

Alan Haverbrook sighed at the news, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. "I see...we sometimes wondered why she always got sick more than Bobby or Haylee. If it'll help, then of course I'll give my consent. But, I just need to know two things. One, is it fatal? Two, can it be cured??"

"Well, to your first, only if her spleen ruptured and I don't think she's in danger of that, and yes, it can be with a lot of rest. When she comes home, no roughhousing for a bit. And she'll be all right and in much better shape in a few weeks."

Alan sweat-dropped at the "rupturing spleen" comment, but was relieved to hear the positive answers to both questions. "All right. Thank you, Mrs. Kaiba. Do all you can to help my daughter."

"My pleasure and please call me Kisara. Violet is a very sweet girl and I will do everything within my power to make her better."

"All right, Kisara. Thanks again. Call us if anything changes. Goodbye." With that, Alan hung up the phone, and by now the limo had reached the hospital.

"Okay...let's get you both settled," Kisara soothed the kids.

"C'mon, Bastion, you need to get up," Katai said gently.

"Can you walk, son? What about you, Violet??" Hiro questioned worriedly. Violet had fallen into a doze, mumbling something inaudible as a reply.

"I'll go get some orderlies and crash carts," Kisara said.

Bastion moaned softly. "Ooh...Dad? I got hit by Oxygeddon..."

Violet groaned and stretched her hand, tapping Bastion lightly in the face. "Oxygeddon's...not real, silly," she mumbled.

"Then why did he hit me?"

"Bastion, honey," Katai said softly.

"Mum...I got hit..." Bastion was out of it.

Kisara came back fast. "Okay, we've got two sick kids and we need them tested."

"Yes, Doctor," the orderlies chorused, getting the kids.

"Stupid boys," Violet mumbled again, arm thrown back over her eyes.

Hiro got out of the limo as the orderlies rolled the two back into the hospital, when a thought struck him. "Oh my. Kisara, I just realized something. Won't the others want to know? If I remember correctly, Annie and Violet are best friends."

Kisara nodded. "Good idea, Hiro. Would you feel comfortable calling Darla and Will?" She looked at him. "I'd do it, but I want to get these tests going."

"Of course. I'll call them and then be inside in a few moments." Hiro pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number of the Truesdale residence.

Darla had just gotten home a few minutes ago, discovering her son and Annie asleep on the couch. Not wanting to disturb them, she'd simply placed a blanket around them. Now, the phone rang, and Darla answered it. "Hello? This is the Truesdale residence, Darla speaking."

"Darla? This is Hiro."

"Oh, hello, Hiro! What's going on?"

"Darla, I'm afraid that Violet and Bastion are both ill. Bastion seems to have caught some sort of virus, and Kisara believes that Violet may have mono."

"Oh my! And just when we thought things were looking up. I suppose you wanted to tell Annie, right?"

"Yes, I thought that she would like to know."

"Well, she and Sy are sleeping, but this is important. Wait a moment." Darla set down the phone and went into the living room, gently shaking Annie. "Annie? Sweetie, wake up. It's important..."

Annie stirred, yawned and opened her eyes. "Ummm...Darla? When did you get home? What's happened?"

"Sorry to wake you, Annie. I just got home a few minutes ago. I'm afraid to say that both Violet and Bastion are in the hospital..." Darla began, as Syrus shifted and opened his eyes.

"Wha...? Oh, hi, Mom..."

"Hospital?!" Annie yelped. Annie's heart did not go into an episode this time, but she did go pale. "Oh, no...Darla...what happened? Violet's not...?"

Syrus was so surprised by Annie's yell that he jumped to his feet, instantly alert. "What? Hospital??" he asked, confused.

"Now both of you calm down. All Hiro told me was-oh! That's right, Hiro wanted to talk to you!!" Darla quickly went to the kitchen and grabbed the cordless, running back to hand the phone to Annie.

"Hello?" Annie asked, gripping Sy's hand. Syrus was still a little confused, but he sat back down and just held Annie's hand.

"Ah, Annie, hello. This is Hiro. Terribly sorry to disturb you. I am guessing that Darla has informed you of what has happened?"

"Yeah...Are Violet and Bastion okay? What happened?" 'If anything's happened to them...' she thought, very frightened. 'Please, God, let her be okay...' "Why are they there?" she asked, trying to force calm into herself.

"Both are very ill, Annie. Bastion appears to have caught a virus of some sort, and Kisara believes that Violet may have mono. At the moment they are running some tests to be sure," he explained, frowning worriedly.

"Mono? Oh...So they'll be okay?" Annie asked, knowing all about mono.

"Yes, Kisara estimates that they'll only have to stay overnight. But I felt that I should contact you."

"Oh, good...when I heard 'hospital...' Anyway, should Sy and I come over?"

"Only if it's not a strain, dear. I know my son could use some company, and Violet would probably like to see you after the tests..."

"Okay...and Violet's more afraid of blood than I am," Annie said. "Just a second...Sy, Bastion and Violet are in the hospital with the flu and possibly mono...want to go over and keep them company?" she asked.

Syrus' eyes widened in shock, but he soon recovered and nodded. "Yeah, of course! I mean, we're their friends, and they came to see you when you were in the hospital."

Annie nodded. Then she got back on with Hiro. "Hiro...should we see if the rest of the guys can come over? I mean, everybody was there when I was sick..."

"I'm sure Bastion and Violet would be grateful, Annie. Do see if they can come. Oh, I should probably go now and check on things. See you in a bit!"

"Okay! Thanks, Hiro! Bye!" Annie drew a breath of relief. "They'll be okay!" She hugged Sy in relief. "I'll start calling everybody else!"

"Thank goodness. Just tell me when you two are ready to go, I'll drive you," replied Darla, smiling.

Syrus was also relieved. "Yeah! But, Annie, what's mono??"

"Mono's caused by a virus, so you just have to rest a lot...But it's known as the kissing disease," she grinned naughtily.

"Why's that, Annie? Do you get it if you kiss someone??"

Annie thought a second, remembering what she'd read. "Only if you trade spit like if you French kiss someone who has the virus."

He blinked, thinking for a moment. "But...then, she's only kissed two guys. Right, Annie? So...either Mike or Bastion must have had it. Right??"

"Or she drank from a glass that somebody drank from and they had it. There are lots of ways to get it, Sy..."

"Oh...oh! Weren't you going to call everyone??" he asked, remembering.

"Yeah!"

Just then, Zane came through the door with Atticus, Jaden and Alexis in tow. "Never again!" he growled.

"Man, it wasn't my fault!" Jaden said, bewildered.

Alexis sighed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She once again-- probably for the tenth time that day-- smacked her elder brother upside the head. "Ow! Geez, Lexi, I said I was sorry..."

A dazed Chazz followed them. "So much water...wow..."

"See? Not my fault..." Jaden said.

"You did your share of the shooting, you guys...That's not happening again, or so help me, I will find a way to hit all four of you!" Zane growled. "Oh, hi, Mom, Sy, Annie."

Both Alexis and Atticus sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. Knowing Zane, he would find a way to stick to his word. Syrus sighed. "What happened? Why are Zane and Chazz soaked??"

"Somebody had the brilliant idea to invade the water park and mess with someone's date," Zane growled, looking at the two Rhodes brothers with his patented glare of death. "And then the people on the date shot back, and I got hit and then we were all firing and a certain someone just got hit..."

"Oh, come on! We singles had to get back at the engaged!!" stated Atticus, grinning.

Alexis glared at him. "And I know I wasn't going to stand for two guys ruining our date!" she retorted, eyes murderous.

Darla sighed. "Well, don't complain, you five. Annie, you want to tell them?" she asked.

Annie nodded. "Guys, can you get cleaned up quick? Bastion and Violet are in the hospital...They'll be okay...but they're not going home tomorrow..."

Alexis was shocked at the news, her irritated expression becoming a frown. "Oh no...and they were on a date today, too," she replied.

Atticus was just as surprised. "What happened?? They were fine this morning."

"Yeah, what happened?" Jaden and Chazz asked together.

"Well, I don't know...I guess we'll find out when we get there, but Violet always has a tendency to get sick so easily...Bastion's dad said that she might have mono..."

"The kissing disease?" Jaden asked.

"How do you know about that?" Zane asked in shock.

Alexis was just as shocked as Zane. "How DO you know about that, Jaden??" she asked.

"I read about it when Atticus was talking about girls last year," Jaden explained.

"Oh, well then, I understand, knowing Atty. Anyway, you two should change," Alexis replied, motioning towards Zane and Chazz.

"I'll go, too," Jaden said, following. "C'mon, Atticus..."

"Sy, could you go with them?" Annie asked. "Alexis and I need to talk," she said with a smile.

"Oh, okay," Syrus replied. So, all of the guys went upstairs, and Darla was in the kitchen.

Alexis walked over to sit beside Annie, curious to know what she wanted to talk about. "What is it, Annie?"

"I can finally talk to you about my boyfriend," Annie said in a sing-song.

"Oh, I see," Alexis grinned. "So, start talking. We have about fifteen minutes."

"Well, he had to help give me a bath today before lunch and he got me all settled and he saw me completely for the first time and he said I was prettier than Dark Magician Girl!" Annie grinned. "And then...he leaned in to kiss me when I was in the tub...and he fell in!"

Alexis couldn't help but laugh a little. "Oh, Annie, that sounds great! If Sy finds you prettier than Dark Magician Girl, then he thinks you're really something."

"I know," Annie said happily. "Anyway...he fell into the tub and he was soaked, so I asked him to just get his clothes off. He did...and he looked better than Tuxedo Mask!" she squealed.

This made Alexis laugh again. "Then he must have been pretty handsome, Annie." She found it cute how they compared their crushes.

"Yeah...And then he got in the tub with me, and...we talked."

"Anything specific?" Alexis asked, grinning.

"We talked about school and what happened this last year...we wondered what it would've been like if Sartorius had done whatever it was he was planning...we talked about our weaknesses...then we got out, got dressed, had lunch and watched 'Moulin Rouge...' And he told me I was his true love!"

"Oh, Annie, that's so sweet. This day would have been perfect if Bastion and Violet hadn't gotten sick," Alexis replied, sighing. By now, the guys were coming back downstairs, some changed into new clothes.

"Yeah...it would've been..." Annie's nightie was thick enough that she didn't have to change so she didn't. "Let's go...Violet hates blood and she had to have blood taken," Annie said.

"Oh, I hated that," Chazz groaned.

"Yeah, I remember that one time Jaden got a bad scratch by Pharaoh. It was bleeding pretty badly and Violet nearly fainted," Alexis reminisced.

"You kids ready to go?" asked Darla.

"Ready, Mom," Zane said.

"Ready," Annie added.

"Ready," Jaden added.

"What about you guys?" Chazz asked his siblings.

"We're ready," they both replied.

Syrus nodded, and the group went out to the two cars; Darla's and Zane's. "All right, who's going with whom??" Darla asked.

Jaden said, "I'm going in whichever car Lex wants to go in..."

"I'll go with Zane," she replied, climbing into the back.

"I'm coming with you guys!" Atticus added, hopping into the passenger seat.

"Annie, Chazz, and I will go with you, Mom," replied Syrus. He and Darla got into her car.

Chazz settled himself in the front seat with Darla, so Annie and Sy could have the backseat to themselves. "Thanks, Darla, for taking us," he said politely.

"Sy, I hope they're okay..." Annie said, worried.

"Well, Hiro told us that Kisara thought they'd be okay. All we can do is hope, Annie," he replied.

Darla nodded. "All right, let's go." So, the two cars left the Truesdale residence and headed out towards the freeway.

_So, just when you thought it was safe to say smooth sailing…Bastion and Violet end up in Domino Children's. Next time: Again with the Hospital? What's wrong with our random genius couple? Read, review and stay tuned until next time! Thank you!_


	52. Again with the Hospital?

Chapter LII: Again with the Hospital?

_Hello again, everyone and welcome back to "Summer Love, Summer Fears." We thank you for sticking with us, even in the face of a lot of medical drama! Thanks again for all your reviews. They are greatly appreciated by Peach and 15animefreak15. _

_Last time: Even in the summer, our teen heroes can't seem to catch a break. So Bastion and Violet are now in the hospital and someone might have mono. So what will the tests reveal? Read and find out._

_**Disclaimer: We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We own our characters and this version of the Yugi-verse. We don't own any songs. We don't own Starbucks, though Peach lives near a Starbucks. We also gratefully acknowledge the various medical websites that helped us figure out what would happen in best-case, troublesome and worst-case scenarios.**_

Finally, the cars pulled into the hospital parking lot, both able to catch a spot near the entrance. The teens and adult got out of the cars and walked into the building.

Hiro, fortunately was waiting for them. "Hi, Hiro!" everyone greeted.

"Hiro, where are they?" Annie asked.

"Ah, good, you're here. I'll take you to their room..." Hiro led the way down the hall, taking a flight of stairs to the second floor. After that it was only a few feet to the door of their room, where Katai and Kisara both were.

The kids entered the room. "Oh, thank goodness you're here, kids...Annie, I could use a hand if you're up to it...Violet isn't cooperating...she's scared..."

"Okay, Kisara...Hey, Bastion!" Annie greeted.

"Hello, Annie, everyone..." Bastion said weakly. Kisara quickly ushered Annie out of the room.

Syrus blinked as Annie and Kisara left. "Uh, Bastion, what exactly was that about?" he asked curiously.

"Violet is very much afraid of needles...I don't like them much either, but I manage them," the boy explained. "Violet...detests them...I can't be with her," Bastion groaned softly.

"He's staying in here overnight..." Katai said.

Meanwhile, in another room, Violet still had a pounding headache. Just the thought of having a needle stuck in her arm made her feel queasy, and the thought of blood didn't exactly help.

Meanwhile, back in the blood draw room, a nurse pleaded with Violet. "C'mon, honey...it won't be that bad and Dr. Kaiba will be back soon..."

Violet simply closed her eyes again to block out the light, which still aggravated her headache. However, they snapped open when she heard two sets of footsteps coming down the hallway. Then, the door opened to reveal- "Annie!"

"Violet!" Annie squealed, coming through the door and giving her best friend a hug. "You're having a bad headache...aren't you?"

"Yeah...that squeal didn't exactly help much," Violet replied, wincing. However, she was grateful for the hug, which comforted her a little.

"Sorry..." Annie apologized, sitting next to her.

"Okay, Violet, do you think you can get through this blood test with Annie here?" Kisara asked seriously. "We need to do it so I can analyze it, all right?"

Violet bit her bottom lip nervously, and sighed. "I guess...can I see Bastion again once it's done?" She'd been hoping he could be with her during this, but since he couldn't she wanted to see him as soon as she could when it was over.

"Of course," Kisara answered. "You'll be staying in the same room...he's doing better and that IV is giving him plenty of fluids."

"All right. I'll do it..." She swallowed nervously, glancing at Annie and taking her hand. When the nurse brought out the needle, she paled a little and squeezed her best friend's hand.

Annie flushed a bit, too, definitely not liking needles but needing to be strong for her best friend. "It'll be over in a minute...just look at me..." she said.

"Okay, this'll just hurt for a minute," the nurse said, tying on the cuff and then wiping the area to be poked with a cleaning swab.

"R-Right..." Violet turned her gaze onto her friend, trying to keep her eyes from glancing at the spot on her arm. 'Don't look. Don't look. Don't look,' she thought over and over.

It was over nearly as quick as Violet felt the jab. "Thanks, Violet. Dr. Kaiba?" Kisara nodded as the nurse handed her the tube now cased in a bag with Violet's blood in it.

"Nurse, take the girls back down to Violet and Bastion's room, all right?"

"Yes, Doctor."

"And give Violet a headache remedy and an IV..."

"Yes, Doctor..."

Violet "eep'd" at the thought of another needle, grimacing. She'd seen an IV numerous times, and it didn't look very comfortable.

"Okay, Violet, you need to stay in the wheelchair," the nurse said. "Annie, why don't you walk alongside her?"

"Yes, ma'am..."

"Annie, was the IV you had...painful?" Violet asked nervously. The nurse was wheeling her back down the hallway, Annie walking beside them.

"I don't remember them putting it in, but it felt really nice," Annie assured her. "It felt really nice and cool and any medicine they wanted to give me went right in the IV tube, so nothing icky tasting in my mouth!"

Violet would have replied, but they'd made it to the hospital room. The nurse rolled her in and over to the second bed, as she was greeted by the others. "Hey guys..."

"How are you feeling, Violet?" asked Alexis.

"Well, I have a pounding headache, dizziness, a sore throat, and my arm's a little sore."

Bastion raised his head. "Violet, darling...you got through okay?"

She smiled at Bastion as she was helped into the hospital bed, glad to see him. "Yeah...thanks to Annie I was able to. How are you doing?"

"I feel like my deck came alive and turned on me..."

"You should feel that way, honey," Katai said. "You have a 102-degree fever, Bastion."

"Oooh..."

"And you're on a lot of medication," she sighed.

"Man, what is it with us and hospital stays lately?" Jaden wondered aloud.

Violet sighed. "Bad luck, I guess. You should have seen our date. Since Bastion-baby's a little...out of it, I'll tell you." Her eyes were closed to block out the florescent light, the medicine not having kicked in yet. "Right away, I find a cute black cat, and I'm petting him. But when it sees Bastion, it goes ballistic and basically mauls him!"

"Ouch!" Annie groaned.

"Yikes," Chazz added.

"That's a reason I like dogs better," Zane said drily.

"Pharaoh wasn't exactly nice to me. I feel Bastion's pain," replied Atticus.

"Anyway, we went to a Starbucks so that he could clean up. But, while I was waiting for him, I spilled some salt. That's bad luck, so I threw it over my right shoulder...and into someone's face. They ran out of the Starbucks, knocking their chair into the walkway. So, when Bastion comes back, he trips over the chair and face-plants the rug," Violet explained.

Alexis blinked. "That's...strange..."

Annie sighed. "Not that abnormal...You should've seen us in Obelisk, Alexis or down at the Slifer dorms...So then what happened?"

"We left the Starbucks to go to the bistro, and I accidentally walked under a ladder. A few seconds later, Bastion pushed me out of the way of a falling bucket. I, of course, fell face-first into the pavement. When Bastion tried to help me up, he slipped on some nails and landed on my back. This, of course, made my face slam back into the sidewalk and gave me a bloody nose," she continued simply.

By now Syrus was wondering how anyone could have so much bad luck in one day. "Geez..."

"Man, Violet...that sucks," Annie said. "I'm sorry that happened. But then...how did lunch go?"

"That was the best part! We had salad at the plaza fountain and dessert. Then, we kissed and he spun me around like in the movies. But, of course, more bad luck. Bastion tripped and we both went splashing into the fountain. But, it was funny when Bastion-baby had a dime stuck up his nose!" Violet couldn't help but giggle, even though it hurt her throat.

"How is that even possible??" asked Alexis, laughing as well.

"Aw," Annie said. "Sounds like a romantic comedy...So...that can't be how you ended up in here..."

"Yeah, unless Bastion had surgery," Jaden observed.

"No..." Bastion groaned. "It...started raining...we were soaked. I started sniffling and Violet got...sick...Ooh..." He laid his head back down.

"We were dancing in the rain! But, you guys can see what happened," Violet sweat-dropped, then realized how much energy the story had taken up. She fell back against the pillows, eyes half-closed tiredly.

"Just relax, Violet," Annie soothed. "Should I sing for a little bit?"

"Yeah, I love your singing, Annie," Violet replied, smiling. By now everyone had managed to find a seat, and no one had objected to the song.

Annie took a deep breath and sang "Come What May," as it had been sung in "Moulin Rouge." She finished and smiled. "Sy and I watched that movie today. It's one of my favorites."

"Yeah. But, Annie, your singing did it again," Syrus replied, pointing. Violet was sound asleep, purple hair spread freely around her head and Bastion was too.

Katai smiled. "They both need the rest, Annie. By all means, if you can keep them asleep, do it. What was that song you sang?"

"'Come What May.' I love that one because of what it meant in the movie...No matter how bad things are, you still have each other."

"Man, that's a deep song," Jaden observed. "Isn't that a romantic tragedy, though?"

Annie nodded. "But it's hilarious for the first hour or so...It's great to see a bunch of old men in tuxedos singing grunge..."

Alexis blinked. "I think I'm gonna have to watch that movie!" she replied, smiling. Atticus nodded in agreement.

Syrus sighed. "It's too bad this happened now. They probably can't go to Ohio tomorrow..."

Meanwhile, a floor up in a lab, Kisara Kaiba looked at Violet's blood through a microscope. "Yup...it's mono," she said to her fellow doctor.

"You sound relieved," the African-American woman said.

"Yeah, Aretha, I am...Violet'll be okay after some treatment."

"Oh, that's wonderful, Kisara...you'll want to tell them immediately?"

"Yeah, I'll head right down. Thanks for your help, Aretha."

"No problem," Dr. Franklin answered, smiling.

Kisara printed out the results and headed down to the kids' room. "Hi, everybody...oh, they're asleep..."

"Uh, yeah, Annie's singing did it. Katai said they needed to rest, anyway," replied Syrus.

"Do you have the blood test results, Kisara?" asked Hiro.

"Yeah, I do...Bastion doesn't have mono, fortunately, but he definitely has strep. Violet, however, has it."

Kisara moved over to Violet's bed. "Violet...sweetie...wake up," she coaxed softly.

Violet yawned and opened her eyes a bit, a little disoriented from being in a hospital bed. "Is it breakfast time yet, Bastion-baby?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Hello, Violet...I've got the results of your tests...and you can have dinner in a little bit," Kisara said gently.

Violet blinked, then remembered exactly where she was. "Oh...right, hospital," she groaned, frowning. "Uh, so...what exactly did you find out?" she asked nervously.

"You're going to be okay...Violet, you have a nasty case of mono, but you'll be okay. I'm going to give you some medicine to get your body back together. And you do have an ear infection and strep, so I'm starting you on antibiotics for that and then some corticosteroids which will get your spleen back to normal and also some medication for the pain, all right?"

Violet was trying to properly register so much information at once, so didn't say anything for a few minutes. "So...how long do we have to stay in the hospital?"

"Just a day or two...I want to be sure you're on the road to recovery before I let you out of here, and I'm going to have Bastion stay here with you. He's got a nasty bug, too but he didn't get mono," Kisara smiled. "I'll bet you have some questions."

"Actually, yeah. First of all, what the heck is mono??" Violet asked. Kisara quickly explained and told Violet that she and Bastion would be in the hospital possibly until Monday. Violet sighed and played with a strand of hair, thinking for a moment. "Well...I've never been in a hospital as a patient before. If it'll help, then I don't mind staying a little longer," she replied, glancing over at Bastion.

Bastion woke up at this point. "Huh? Violet? Oh, hello, Kisara...are we...all right?"

"You have strep and you and Violet aren't leaving at least until tomorrow night. And I'm thinking we'll keep you until Monday and then you can fly to Ohio on Tuesday."

"Oh...no wonder I felt as if Oxygeddon hit me..."

Violet rolled her eyes and giggled, then remembered something. "Hey, Kisara, you called my parents, right?" she asked. That wasn't her main concern, though...

"I did, honey. I had to get clearance for testing you. They're just glad you're going to be okay..."

Violet was a little relieved, but now to get to her real question. "Was my brother there yet??" she asked, getting a dangerous gleam in her eye. 'If he's not there by now, I'm gonna sock him when I get home!' she thought.

"Yeah, he was there, and worried about his little sister. But he knows you're not in any position to be tackle-hugged for a while. Your spleen being enlarged is dangerous, but as long as you're careful, you'll be just fine."

"It's what?!" Normally, Violet would have sat up in surprise, but was still drained. So instead, she lifted the blanket and the bottom of her tank top worriedly.

"Your spleen is swollen...that's why you've been hurting. The spleen is a line of defense against infections, Violet, and yours has been fighting for a long time, judging by what your parents told me..." Kisara sat in a chair next to Violet. "Honey, when your spleen is swollen like that, it can be dangerous...but since I'll put you on some corticosteroids, it'll come down and you'll be all right in a few weeks..."

Violet dropped the blanket down and sighed. "You mean like how I was sick almost every day and was better by the afternoon? I hated that...but, after this is cured, that won't happen anymore??" she asked hopefully.

"That's it," Kisara said. "You'll be okay, with any luck, but you're going to have to rest a lot. Mono thrives on you overexerting yourself. The only definite way of getting better is not pushing yourself too hard and...you must be really careful with what you do physically. A blow to your belly could be very dangerous for a little bit here..."

Violet pouted, realizing what she meant. "So...I can't run or jump around or tackle Bastion-baby or my friends anymore?" Haverbrooks were known to be very...physical with their emotions.

"It's just temporary, Violet...a few weeks and you can go back to tackling everyone you want," Kisara said calmly. "By the time you go back to school at the end of August, you'll be able to tackle everyone..."

"Hoora-ow-ow-ow-ow..." Violet's smile quickly became a grimace, as she placed a hand on her throat. 'Note to self: no yelling for a while...oh, man!' she thought.

Kisara seemed to understand. "Try not to yell...your throat needs the rest..." She got a glass of water off the nightstand and helped Violet sip it. "Just relax now, okay?"

"Oh, all right..." Then Violet's stomach grumbled, and she sweat-dropped. "Uh...you mentioned something about dinner?"

"Yup," Kisara smiled. "Unfortunately, you're not having pizza or anything too spicy tonight. I'll have someone bring in some hot chicken soup..." As if by magic, an orderly came in with two hot bowls of the stuff.

"Bastion, dinner time..." Katai said, taking the bowl.

"Thanks, Mum...I wish I could help you, Violet, darling..."

"Just having you here is help enough, Bastion-baby." Violet would have yelled the reply, but knew it'd hurt if she did so. So, she decided to occupy herself with her soup, and swallowed some. However, Violet winced and stuck out her tongue, waving at it. "Ah! Hot!!"

"Violet...slowly," Kisara said, taking the bowl and blowing on a spoonful of soup. "The rest of you...why don't you head down to the cafeteria?" She quickly set down the bowl of soup, grabbed a pen and paper and wrote a note. "Alexis, keep the group together and give the cashier this note, okay?"

Alexis nodded and took the note. "All right, guys, let's go. I know we're all probably hungry," she stated.

So, the group waved goodbye and left, Violet waving enthusiastically back at them. "Do I have to eat it slowly? I'm used to eating fast..."

"It'll hurt your throat," Kisara said, "if you eat too fast. I got strep once and I could barely eat for a couple of days..."

Meanwhile, the group of moderately healthy teens headed down the hall. "Annie?"

"Yeah, Jaden?"

"Are you wearing a nightgown?"

Annie blushed. "Uh...yeah...it's pretty thick..."

"Yeah...it looks nice."

Chazz sighed, "You know, I think I'm getting over my fear of hospital rooms, now..."

"That's great, bro! I guess we've spent so much time in them, that they're not as scary anymore," replied Alexis, sighing.

"I have a bad feeling this won't be the last we'll see of them, though..." Atticus stated, surprising them. Usually, he was the one who had the upbeat attitude and found the silver lining. Syrus had to admit that things didn't exactly look promising, though.

"Man, thanks for trying to cheer us up," Annie said sarcastically.

Zane sighed, too. "Yeah, I'm the one with the downer thing going most of the time..."

"Nah, that's me," Chazz said, laughing.

"And what am I?" Jaden asked.

"High on sugar," Zane said, totally deadpan.

That got some laughs out of them as they made their way through the first floor hallway. "Sorry, guys. I guess all this bad stuff's just bringing me down," Atticus admitted, shrugging.

"Hey, you can't be expected to be happy all the time. No one can," Syrus stated, smiling.

"No..." Annie sighed. "It's okay, Atticus. I hope you're wrong..."

They got into the cafeteria and Alexis handed the note to the cashier. "Ah, you kids are with Dr. Kaiba. Pick and eat all you want!"

"SWEET!" Jaden yelled happily.

"Jaden, show some dignity," Chazz groaned.

Atticus grinned, just as excited as Jaden. Both boys started grabbing any food within reach, and Alexis just sighed. "You should have known they'd do this, bro," she told Chazz. Syrus and she didn't even take half as much as the two boys.

Annie, meanwhile, picked out her food quietly. She got what she wanted and headed to a table with the other kids. "You got some good stuff, Annie. Feeling like eating a little more?" Zane asked. She nodded.

"I'm glad that she's getting better. You think we could take something up for Violet and Bastion?" Syrus asked as he ate. They weren't really sure what the two were allowed to eat in their current state.

"Let's see what Kisara tells us," Annie said. "She might want us to wait for them to feel a bit stronger."

"Good point," Jaden commented.

"So, Atticus," Jaden asked, thinking of knowing about mono and shocking Alexis, "what else do you know about besides mono?"

Atticus blinked in surprise at the question. "You mean about medical stuff??"

"Yeah...I mean your mom is a doctor, but she works with kids...isn't what you know about more...well...adult?" Chazz and Zane sweat-dropped, fearing where this was going.

Atticus caught the look Alexis was giving him and sweat-dropped. "Well, uh, you see...it's kind of complicated, Jaden. I'm not sure if it would be the best idea to talk about it here...now...in front of certain people..."

"Thank you, Lord," Zane whispered under his breath.

Annie sweat-dropped. "Uh...yeah...let's not go there and say we did," she said, laughing.

Jaden looked at her. "Oh...oh! Yeah...good point..."

"Oh, so you do have a brain," Chazz said.

"Uh...yeah?" Jaden answered, a little surprised.

Alexis punched Chazz's arm, half-playfully and half-seriously. "Chazz, don't start with me," she stated warningly, kissing Jaden's cheek. Atticus snickered, until a napkin was thrown in his face. "And don't you start, either. I know perfectly well what you were avoiding," she added.

"Um...maybe I don't want to know anymore," Jaden grimaced.

"Nah...you don't," Annie said. "Atticus, do us a favor and don't talk about it, okay?"

"Don't worry, I won't," he replied, sweat-dropping.

Alexis sighed and finished her food, most of the others having also finished. "So, are you and Syrus still flying out tomorrow?" she asked curiously.

Annie looked at Sy. "I don't know if we should...I don't like leaving," she said, worried.

Syrus nodded. "I know we'll both worry the whole time, but it's up to you, Annie. I can wait a few more days," he replied.

"I...I'll ask Kisara what she thinks when we get back," Annie said, concerned.

"Annie...she said they'd be fine," Zane said.

"I know...it's just..." Annie seemed to not be able to figure out what to say.

"Hey, you guys are best friends. Let me guess, you feel like you're abandoning them by leaving, right? Because they were here for you when you were in trouble," explained Atticus knowingly.

Annie nodded. "I don't want to leave them alone..."

Jaden laid his hands on Sy and Annie's shoulders. "They won't be...Alexis, Atticus, Chazz and I'll be here, we promise."

"Yeah, we're not going anywhere," added Alexis, smiling.

Syrus smiled, turning his gaze to Annie. "It's up to you, Annie. We can go back upstairs now since everyone's done eating. Then, you can ask Kisara like you wanted to."

"O...okay..." Annie said. And so they all headed back upstairs. "We'll call Tyson and Rosa in the morning since Violet and Bastion aren't in..." And then Alexis's cell phone rang.

Alexis blinked in surprise, quickly answering her phone. "Hello?"

"Hola, Senorita Alexis!" greeted the familiar Spanish voice.

Alexis smiled. "Guys, it's Rosa. Should I tell her and Tyson now?" she asked, covering the phone.

They looked at each other uncomfortably. Jaden spoke. "They should know..."

"Okay...Hi, Rosa! How are you?"

"Bien! I was just calling to check on Senorita Annie. Wasn't she being released today?"

"Oh, yeah, she was. Annie's doing just fine. But...is Tyson with you right now?"

All the way in Texas, Rosa blinked in surprise. "Eh, no, he is outside. Should I get him?"

"Yeah, that would be a good idea..." Rosa set down the phone and stood from her spot on the couch, going to the back door. Outside, Lily and Josephina were watching Jose, Tyson, and Dean showed each other different fighting techniques they'd learned. "Ty-Ty! Can tú come in here for one momento, por favor?"

"Sure, Spanish Ro--WHOA!" Jose hadn't heard his daughter calling his future son-in-law and so Tyson barely had time to dodge.

"Oh, lo siento, hijo. Are tú alright?" Jose asked worriedly. Rosa, back at the doorway, let out a slightly aggravated sigh.

"Yeah, I'm all right, Jose...Just a little distracted!" Tyson laughed. "What is it, darlin'?" he said, trotting up to Rosa.

"Well, I called to check on Senorita Annie. Ella is doing fine, but Senorita Alexis wants to speak with us," she explained. They went back to the living room and she pressed the speaker phone button. "Senorita Alexis? We are both here now."

"Hi, Private Lexi! How's everything?" Tyson asked cheerfully.

"Hey, Tyson. Things were fine, but something happened. See, uh, Violet and Bastion are in the hospital. They got sick again, and both of them have strep. And...Violet has mono," explained Alexis, frowning. Rosa was shocked by the news, not having expected this. Two of her friends were in the hospital the very same day another was released!

"Aw, no!" Tyson yelped. "Private Lexi, do we need to fly back there?!"

On the other end of the phone, the other kids looked at each other. "Well, it's not fatal or anything. They just have to stay in the hospital a few days to rest and take medication. I mean, if you really feel like you need to..." Alexis didn't want them to spend the money to fly there if it wasn't really necessary.

Tyson looked at Rosa. Both were relieved. "It's not life-threatenin'?"

"Well, only if Violet over-exerts herself, takes a blow to the stomach or on the very off chance that her spleen ruptures on its own. But there's a low risk of that happening, so they should both make a full recovery," she explained, smiling.

"That is bueno. We were worried," Rosa replied.

"Yeah...are you guys okay? How's Private Annie?" Tyson asked.

"We're all fine, and so is Annie. She hasn't had another episode yet," Alexis answered. By now they were standing near the hospital room's door.

Kisara waved to the kids and noticed Alexis on the phone. Violet was sound asleep and Bastion was awake but pretty groggy. "Keep it down," Kisara whispered.

"It's Tyson and Rosa," Annie whispered back.

Alexis nodded and turned around so that her back was facing them, lowering her voice. "Okay guys, I have to go now. Violet's asleep and Bastion's getting there. If you want, you can talk to them tomorrow when they're up."

"All right...Thanks, Alexis, for lettin' us know...We'll be leavin' for Spain in two days..."

"Oh, that's right. Well, talk to you tomorrow. Bye," the blonde girl replied, smiling.

"Adios, Senorita Alexis!" With that, the conversation ended, and Alexis put away her cell phone.

"Man...I think we need discounts for hospital stays," Jaden observed as they came in.

"Hey, who was that on your mobile, Alexis?" Bastion asked sleepily.

"It was Rosa and Tyson, I told them about how you guys are sick. Kisara, it's okay if they call tomorrow to talk, right?" Alexis asked, keeping her voice down.

"Yeah, it's fine. At this point, all the morale boosting you can give would be great. Violet really needs it..."

"Then...Kisara?" Annie asked.

"Yeah, Annie?"

"Could Sy and I delay going home tomorrow? I...don't want to leave Violet or Bastion..."

"We don't mind staying a few more days," Syrus added, holding Annie's hand. Little did anyone know that Violet was actually dozing, hearing every word they said.

Kisara smiled. "I can make the arrangements. You'll worry, Annie and that puts you at risk of another episode. I want you to be as relaxed as you can be for a while. So if staying here helps, then we should do that..."

"Okay...oh! I need to call Mom and Dad!" Annie realized.

"Here, you can use my cell phone, Annie," Alexis offered, handing her the small phone.

Meanwhile, Violet was thinking about the current situation. 'Annie...she and Syrus both gave up their flight plan tomorrow to stay with me. Is this what having real friends is like?' she wondered, holding back tears. They'd be a dead giveaway that she'd heard everything.

"Thanks, Alexis," Annie said softly. She dialed the number and in Medina, Washington, the phone rang.

Alex, sitting in his favorite chair, set down his newspaper and answered the phone. "Hello, Hanson residence. Alex speaking."

"Hi, Daddy!" Annie greeted. "How are you?"

"Oh, Annie, it's you! I'm doing just fine. And how are you?"

"Good, but...I can't come home tomorrow..."

This surprised Alex. "Oh? And why's that, sweetie??"

"Violet and Bastion are in the hospital now...they'll be okay, but Daddy, Violet needs me...she needs all of us..."

"Oh no, that's terrible! And just when things were starting to look up. Annie, I don't mind at all if you want to stay with your friends until they're better. Do you know what exactly is wrong?"

"Yeah...Bastion has strep and a nasty virus...and...Violet has strep, an ear infection and mono...she got it too young to get it from kissing, though..."

"At least it's nothing fatal. Of course, mono can be, but it has a very small range of being so. As for how she got it...most likely from sharing drinks in school. Anyway, go ahead and keep your sick friends company, Annie. When will you be coming, then?"

"Probably Monday, Daddy...at the earliest. Bastion and Violet were supposed to leave for Ohio tomorrow," Annie explained, "but...well, they're both just too sick..."

"I understand, honey. You're a very good friend for staying with them. All of you are. I'm sure they both appreciate it. I love you, Annie," replied Alex, saying his goodbyes.

"Love you too, Daddy. Night!" Annie said, and terminated the call. "It's okay...they'll just wait for us," she said to Sy. "Thanks again, Alexis."

"No problem, Annie," she replied, taking back the phone.

Syrus smiled. "That's great, Annie. I thought they'd understand."

"Yeah...what is it Tyson says? Never leave a man behind and stick with your platoon," she said.

Alexis laughed a little. "He has a point. We always stick together. Even Chazz," she stated, placing an arm around him.

"Hey, sis!" Chazz said, laughing. "You're right...and so's Tyson...man, that is weird..."

"What's weird?" asked Atticus, confused.

"Calling him Tyson," Chazz said.

"Well, it's nice to know his real name. I always thought there was something fishy about Tyranno," Syrus replied.

Suddenly, a nurse poked her head around the door. "Excuse me, but I'm afraid visiting hours are over. Dr. Kaiba?"

"It's all right, Georgia, these people can stay. The patients need morale boosters," the white-blonde doctor told the nurse.

"All right, Dr. Kaiba." Georgia then left to continue her rounds.

Syrus sighed. "You know, when Annie couldn't do much it was one thing. But Violet's probably going to hate this."

"Yeah, but I think since it's temporary, she'll be all right, Sy," Kisara soothed.

"Maybe," Annie said, wondering. Violet hadn't taken sitting around in gym class too well, so how would she handle a few weeks of no tackling?

"All we can do is hope that she can take not being able to exert herself as much as she usually does. It is only for a few weeks," Alexis offered.

"Yeah...but there is one good thing about it," Chazz said, remembering something.

"Yeah? What's that?" Annie asked.

"If we make her mad, she can't go after us with the pink bazooka..."

Atticus grinned at this. "Yeah, like she did at the movie," he agreed, relieved.

Alexis sighed. "You still better not make her mad, though. She'll find a way to get you back for it."

"Yeah, she will," Jaden said, remembering what had happened a few weeks ago when he'd made Violet mad. She'd borrowed Pharaoh.

Alexis had an idea of what incident Jaden was thinking about and grinned. "Did Jaden tell you guys what happened after lunch at the academy one time when he'd eaten Violet's fried shrimp?"

"She got really mad at me...and she grabbed Pharaoh... and threw tuna at me," Jaden winced.

"And Pharaoh basically mauled Jaden. Miss Fontaine really had to patch him up," added Alexis. Many in the group giggled or laughed, glad for the uplifting story.

By now Violet had really fallen asleep, comforted by how much her friends cared about her. Syrus stifled a yawn. "It is getting kind of late, isn't it?" Alexis realized.

"Yeah...you kids can stay here with these two, if you'd like," Kisara offered. Everyone nodded. "Okay, then. Annie, it looks like you're the best dressed for this, huh?" the doctor asked, grinning.

"Yeah, I guess I am...Thanks, Kisara..."

"No problem."

"At least we're all kind of used to sleeping in hospital chairs," stated Syrus, grinning. Everyone got as comfortable as they could sitting in the chairs, some drifting off immediately while most stayed awake.

"Yeah...Oh, I didn't get to do that," Annie said.

"It's okay, Annie. Just sleep next to Sy. I stayed next to Alexis," Jaden said easily.

Katai and Hiro had already stationed themselves next to their only child's bed. "E equals MC squared...Pi is equal to 3.14," Bastion muttered in his sleep.

"Pie?" Jaden asked, confused.

"Pi, Jaden...P-I...it's a math thing," Annie explained patiently.

"Stupid Bobby...that's my pudding," Violet mumbled, lightly smacking the mattress.

Alexis saw Jaden's face and sighed. "Go to sleep, Jaden. You can have some pudding tomorrow..."

"Do I talk like that when I sleep?" Jaden asked.

"Yes, you do...always about marshmallows," Chazz growled.

"Do I talk in my sleep?" Zane wondered.

Syrus couldn't help but laugh a little. "I don't know if you still do, but you did when we were kids. You always used to talk about training your Cyber Dragons to fly through hoops."

"What?" Zane asked in shock. To his surprise, Atticus was cracking up.

"Ha ha, and here you complained when I talked about training my Red Eyes to jump through hoops!" Atticus replied, stifling his laughter.

"Yeah...but I didn't keep half the dorm awake dreaming about girls," Zane shot back, grinning.

That made Atticus shut up really quick, blushing a little. "Atticus...when we get home I'm searching your room," stated Alexis, brow twitching.

"Oh, man...do I even want to know?" Chazz groaned.

"Um...you probably don't," Jaden said, thinking of earlier.

"Maybe we should get to sleep, guys," Annie said.

"Good idea." Atticus replied, quickly making himself doze off. Alexis sighed and did the same, Syrus placing an arm around Annie before drifting off.

The kids drifted off, as did Kisara and the Misawas. And for a while, everything was peaceful. But at about 1 in the morning, things went wrong.

_Cliffhanger…Next time: __**Oh, BEEP! What Next?**__ So what lies in store for our teenage group? Tune in next time and please, read and review! Thank you!_


	53. Oh, BEEP! What Now!

Chapter LIII: Oh, BEEP! What Now?

_Hello again, _Summer Love, Summer Fears_ readers! We're glad to see you all again, and hope you are not being driven insane by the medical drama. Anyway, we're glad you're still enjoying this tale and hope you stick with us all the way through to the end. Thank you again for the reviews, everyone! We love hearing from you. As of this moment we're at about the halfway point. So hang on tight! We're not through yet._

_Last time: Bastion and Violet came back from their date feeling pretty lousy. Bastion's mom called Kisara and the young doctor figured out that Violet had mono. Both kids had strep and Violet also had an ear infection. They went to sleep, but it seems as the last chapter closed that something went wrong. And so, we open the new chapter, dear readers._

_**Disclaimer: Please read chapters 1-47's disclaimers and chapter 52. Otherwise, we'll just be repeating ourselves.**_

_**Warning: Mild theological discussion, Bastion angst and familial insanity. Also, if you hate Naruto, you might want to skip part of the chapter. If you like Naruto, read the whole thing. Thank you!**_

Violet had been sleeping well enough, even though she kept feeling hot and then cold. However, she continued to sleep through the fever until a sharp pain occurred in her lower abdomen. It was enough to snap her wide awake, letting out a loud gasp of pain. Violet had to close her eyes tightly, biting her bottom lip hard enough to make it bleed a little. "B-B-Ba-a-astion," she managed to get out.

Kisara woke to hear Violet's monitors beeping. "Oh, my gosh, Violet!" The girl's temperature was up to 103 degrees and she was clutching her stomach. "Violet..." Kisara saw where Violet was clutching her belly. "Oh, no!" She hit the code button, which sounded a loud alarm and the droning "Code Blue!" Hiro and Katai were wide awake in seconds.

"What's happening?" Katai asked.

"Violet's spleen is rupturing! She needs surgery now!"

Violet wasn't paying attention to the conversation around her, completely blinded by the intense pain. She'd stopped biting her bottom lip, but tears had formed in her eyes. Hiro was shocked at this new development. "But I thought you said it would happen if she exerted herself!" Some of the others were waking up because of all of the commotion, confused with drowsiness from sleep.

"Hiro, it's rare, but sometimes a spleen can go on its own...Darn it! Where's the...!" Two orderlies, nurses and Scout Rhodes came running in with a crash cart.

"Oh, my! Kisara, what happened?" Scout yelped.

"Spleen rupture due to mono...Hurry, Scout...Oh, why didn't I see this?" Kisara moaned.

"She'll be all right...It'll be all right, Violet," Scout soothed, helping move the girl onto the crash cart.

"I-It...h-hurts," Violet moaned. Exhausted, she fell back into a laying position, still in immense pain.

Syrus was finally awake enough to take in the severity of the situation. "Annie! Annie, wake up!!" he said, shaking her.

Annie awoke abruptly. "Sy...what? VIOLET!! What happened? Kisara?"

"Her spleen's ruptured..."

"Nooo," Annie moaned, turning pale.

By this time, Annie could only manage a glimpse of her friend as she was quickly rolled out of the room. "Annie, Kisara, what's happening?" asked Syrus. He figured it was bad, but didn't know by how much.

Bastion, by this time, woke through his medicine-induced sleep. "M-Mum...D-dad? What's..?"

"Sweetie, they just had to take Violet," Katai explained gently.

Annie, meanwhile was shaking. "Her spleen...is ruptured...noo..."

"They had to take her into surgery, son. Her spleen ruptured on its own," explained Hiro slowly.

Meanwhile, Syrus noticed the way things were going, and quickly hugged Annie. "Annie, calm down. Just stay calm..."

Jaden and the other kids were wide awake now. "No...no way...she was supposed to be okay!" Jaden moaned.

"This isn't fair..." Chazz groaned.

Bastion looked straight at his father. "Dad? It...ruptured? No..." Hiro sighed and placed a hand on his son's shoulder comfortingly.

Syrus just continued to quietly comfort Annie, while Alexis squeezed Jaden's hand nervously. "I jinxed us..."muttered Atticus, remembering his earlier statement.

"You didn't, bro," Chazz groaned. "Man, this sucks..."

Annie wasn't handling it well. 'Not Violet...not Violet...please, God, not her,' she prayed in her head. And her heart rate was rising fast. Her breathing went funny.

Syrus realized it wasn't working, and quickly turned to Kisara. "Kisara! Annie's having another episode!!"he stated worriedly.

'Not her, too! It's just one thing after another,' Alexis thought in horror.

"Annie," Kisara said, moving close. "Annie, it's okay...Let's lay her down..." The doctor grabbed a blanket and laid it on the floor with a pillow. "Just calm yourself down..." she soothed. It seemed like an eternity, but after about three minutes, Annie's heart rate dropped back to normal.

"Oooh..." Annie moaned softly.

"It's okay, sweetie, just relax," Kisara said gently.

Syrus was kneeling beside Annie, still holding her hand. "Just stay calm, Annie," he stated gently.

Hiro was sitting beside his son, worried about how he was taking the sudden turn of events. "Bastion, son, are you all right?"

Bastion swallowed, his throat hurting from the strep. Tears were forming in his eyes. "Why, Dad? Why?"

Hiro sighed again, running his free hand through his hair. "I don't know, son. Sometimes God works in mysterious ways..."

"Is this God or Satan?" Bastion moaned in anguish.

Kisara looked at him. "Hiro? May I?" she asked softly. Hiro really had no idea what to do, so he stood and allowed Kisara to take over. He understood that his son was going through more than most teenage boys should have to. "Bastion...my dad is a theologian," she began.

"Okay, then tell me why...why does Violet suffer? She never hurt anyone...and...I just don't understand..." He was crying and shaking and his parents pulled around him.

"Bastion...it's the curse of our mortality. It's not because God willed this stuff to happen or because of evil...it's because we're all human and we're all mortal. Being good or bad doesn't mean we'll escape or get certain illnesses." The young doctor sighed. "I asked Daddy when I was your age and first dealing with patients the same question when a baby who'd been beaten by her parents came in...I sat there and watched her slip away..." Kisara teared up, the memory very fresh.

Hiro frowned, placing a comforting hand on Kisara's shoulder. "Kisara's right, son. Whether you're good or evil, these things just happen."

"Thanks, Hiro," Kisara said softly, wiping her eyes. "Bastion, I can't promise anything at this point, but if it just happened, I think Scout will get her patched up quickly..."

"Okay...Annie?" he called down to the floor, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Annie answered weakly.

"All we can do now is wait and hope. Kisara, when do you think we'll receive news on her condition?" asked Hiro.

"It'll take a few hours...we probably won't hear anything until at least an hour or so from now...Oh, I need to call her parents..."

Hiro glanced at the clock; by now it was one-thirty. "Oh my, it'll be four-thirty in the morning there. But it can't be helped, I suppose," he stated, sighing. "Kisara, if you need to, you can use my phone," Alexis offered, pulling it out of her pocket.

"It's okay, Alexis. Save your battery," Kisara answered, moving to the room phone and quickly dialing the phone number on Violet's chart. And in Ohio, a phone rang.

All of the Haverbrooks-- excluding Barbara-- could sleep through a train wreck, let alone a ringing phone. Luckily, Barbara was woken by the sound and answered the phone. "H-Hello? Barbara Haverbrook speaking," mumbled the tired mother through a stifled yawn.

"Barbara, this is Kisara Kaiba...I'm sorry to call you so early, but...we have an emergency...Violet has been taken into surgery..."

Barbara's mother instincts kicked-in, and she was instantly wide awake. "What?? My baby's in surgery?! What happened? Is she all right?!" The questions poured out in a flurry, the usual symptom of a worried mother.

"There was a complication with her mono...it happens rarely, but...Violet's spleen ruptured and it must be removed."

"Oh no..." When it came to urgent situations, Barbara was the last person you wanted to disobey. Which was why Alan Haverbrook forced himself to stay awake when she shoved him off the bed.

"What is it, Barb??" he asked groggily.

"Violet's in surgery, Al! She has to have her spleen removed!!"

Alan could tell his wife was getting frantic with worry and quickly took the phone from her. "Kisara, this is Alan. Barb told me what's going on and she's really shaken up. Is there a possibility that our daughter might not...make it?" he asked. He knew that the answer-- if positive-- might calm his wife down.

"Fortunately, I think she'll be okay...and she's in the hands of one of the best pediatric surgeons in the business. Dr. Rhodes is one of the very best and she will be very thorough..." Kisara quickly outlined some risks, and concluded, "Because she's young, she should be all right...If you want to fly out here, I'll call my husband and have the people at Kaiba Corp Cleveland ready a plane immediately."

"Barb, honey, Kisara says there's an extremely high chance that Violet will survive the surgery. Please don't worry. She says that we can fly out there to see her if we need to," Alan explained gently.

Barbara took a few deep breaths to calm herself down, then nodded. "Al, I am not going to let my daughter go through this without her parents. Bobby can take care of Haylee while we're gone."

Alan nodded. "Kisara, we'd appreciate it if you would do so. We're very grateful."

"You can bring your whole family and we'll have a place for you to stay...Violet talks a lot about her brother and sister," Kisara offered.

"Really? Kisara, we're in your debt. After this is over, if there's anything we can ever do for you, just ask," replied Alan. Barbara had left to wake the kids, who had slept through the entire phone call.

"Don't you worry...just get ready," Kisara said. "I'll have a limo to you in less than two hours..."

"Thanks again, Kisara. Goodbye." With that, Alan hung up to go get ready with his family. He then took a deep breath. "Barb, let's wake the kids...Violet..." he whispered the last.

"I know, Al, I'm so worried. You get Bobby and I'll go wake our little princess," she replied.

The nervous parents embraced for a moment before separating, Barbara going into Haylee's room. "Haylee, sweetie, wake up..."she whispered, gently shaking her.

"Mmmm...Mommy? Is it morning yet?" seven-year-old Haylee asked, blinking her big eyes. And then she noticed Mommy looked upset. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

"Haylee, sweetie, Violet's in the hospital. We're going to go see her, so you have to wake up and get dressed," Barbara soothed gently.

"The hospital? Why?" Haylee asked.

"Well, sweetie, Violet's a very sick girl. Which is why we need to go see her, okay?"she explained, getting some clothes.

Meanwhile in Haylee's room, "Okay, Mommy...can I help Sissa?"

Meanwhile, Barbara set the clothes out on the bed-a lavender T-shirt and jean shorts. "Yes, of course you can, honey. Just get dressed while Mommy packs a bag for you."

"Okay, Mommy..." Haylee said.

Meanwhile, Alan headed for his 23-year-old son's room and walked in. He went up and shook the boy. "Bobby, get up...Bobby!" He shook the boy again and then yelled, "BOBBY, GET UP!"

Bobby fell off of his bed in true Haverbrook fashion. "Ow! Dad, what?!"

Alan said, "Bobby, we're taking an emergency flight to Domino. Violet's in emergency surgery. The doctor thinks she'll be all right, but I think we all need to be there. Get a bag ready, okay?"

Bobby was awake at that, eyes filled with worry. "Oh, man! I knew she'd be in trouble on her own!!" He jumped to his feet, emptying some things from the bag he'd brought with him from Florida.

"She'll be okay, Bobby. And she's gotten a good group of friends it sounds like. Hurry up and get dressed. We don't know what time the limo will be here," Alan told his son.

By the time the two hours were up and the limo arrived, all four Haverbrooks were dressed and packed. They got in and headed off nervously to the airport.

Back in Domino, no one in the hospital save Bastion had slept. Kisara had gotten a lounger for Annie to lie on so the teen girl would be comfortable. "Kisara?" Annie asked.

"What is it, honey?"

"When will we know?"

Kisara looked at her watch. "It's been two hours...someone should..." And then a nurse came to the door.

"Dr. Kaiba?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Rosalie, I've been in the room with Dr. Rhodes and the surgery is going very well. Violet should be in recovery in about one hour."

"Thanks, Rosalie..."

"That's good. Should we wake Bastion and tell him?" asked Syrus from beside Annie.

"Would that be all right, Kisara?" Hiro queried.

Kisara thought about it. "Yeah...we probably should...it's a good idea..."

Hiro nodded and lightly shook his son's shoulder. "Bastion, son, wake up. We have good news to tell you about Violet."

Bastion was slow to wake up. "Ooh...Mum? Dad? What...Good news?" He came awake quickly. "What is it?"

Katai smiled. "We just got an update and she should be in recovery in one hour. It's all going very well..."

"Oh, thank God...I thought..." Bastion sank back in his pillows, exhausted.

"Bastion, just rest, okay?" Kisara said, checking his vitals. "Your fever's been coming down...just rest."

Bastion closed his eyes and Kisara gave him a new dose of fever reliever through his IV. "He'll do better now that he knows..."

"Oh, Kisara, you never did tell us if her parents were coming," stated Syrus. They'd heard Kisara offer, but the teens had all been too worried to ask if the Haverbrooks had accepted the offer.

"Yeah, they're coming and they should be in the air by now..." she said. "I went out and called Seto and he made it happen, so the Haverbrooks are on their way now."

Annie, sitting at her lounger said, "That's wonderful...I've never met Mr. and Mrs. Haverbrook, or Violet's brother and sister...they sound like fun!"

Alexis groaned lightly, imagining Violet times four. "As long as we hide the sugar," she replied. This evoked a few much-needed laughs from the group.

Kisara smiled. "Violet's nuts with sugar in her system?"

"Yeah," Annie answered. "Alexis, remember that time when she ran through the dorm? And Dr. Crowler was doing inspections?"

Alexis sighed, rubbing her temples though smiling all the same. "Yeah, I remember. She'd eaten all of her Halloween chocolate in one sitting and went crazy. She ended up literally running over Crowler, then nearly ripping his arm out of its socket when she helped him back up. I still remember what she said...'SORRYMISSHOPEYOU'REOKAYGOTTAGONOWBUH-BYE!!'" Her eye visibly twitched.

Jaden, Atticus, Zane, Chazz and Sy all looked at each other and started cracking up. "Oh, man, Lex! Tell me you had pictures!" Jaden laughed.

"Man, you two have a lot in common, Jaden..." Chazz said. "He ran through the Slifer dorms and down to Ra and back…I think he ran Professor Bonaparte down."

Annie sighed, laughing a little. "Crowler actually said, 'She has to be related to that Slifer Slacker...there's no other way they're so alike!' He actually went through your records."

"And I thought Principal Rooney was rough," Kisara remarked.

"Who?" Jaden asked.

Kisara sweat-dropped. "You haven't seen 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off?'"

Annie said, "I have...and Dr. Crowler actually kinda likes Jaden..."

"Nope, I haven't either," replied Syrus. "Why don't you explain, Annie?" Alexis suggested, smiling. Atticus nodded, as he wanted to keep the upbeat mood so everyone could keep their minds off of the current problems.

However, at Annie's last statement, everyone in the room showed some expression of shock. "What??"

"Yeah, he does...I...sorta read his diary," Annie blushed.

"Annie! That's deviously sneaky...find anything else?" Alexis had a mischievous gleam in her eye that was rarely seen.

"You read his diary?" Jaden asked in shock. "Yup...and he thinks you're a good student and you'd be better if you'd apply yourself, but he knows you're happiest as a Slifer, and...Alexis...he has Naruto cosplay stuff!"

Kisara said, "This should be good..." She, too, had a naughty look on her face.

Syrus grimaced at the idea, Alexis doing the same. "Oh man, I don't think I want to know," she muttered. Atticus was trying to stifle his laughter.

Zane, however, asked, "Who? C'mon, Annie..."

Annie grinned big. "Mighty Gai!! Rock Lee's mentor!"

That did it. Almost the entire room cracked up, and Atticus nearly fell out of his chair. "It just HAD to be him!!"

Chazz and Jaden were laughing so hard, tears were streaming down their faces, and Annie was grinning wickedly. "And..." she added, triumphantly reaching into her purse, "I have pictures!" Everyone immediately crowded around the lounger, eager to see them. Hiro sighed and ran a hand through his hair, glad everyone was joyous again.

"Oh, my gosh! He's in the classic pose!" Chazz laughed. "Annie, how did you get these?"

"Scanned 'em last year...those PDAs have a scanner feature..."

"Seto spared no expense on those," Kisara laughed and flushed a bit.

"I didn't know it had a scanner feature," Jaden said. "Oh, the possibilities..."

Alexis sent a deadly glare her fiancé's way as a warning. She didn't know how much Atticus had influenced him. "Last year, I thought he'd be more of an Orochimaru," mumbled Syrus, blinking.

"Ew," Annie said, remembering the bad guy. "I don't want to think of him with a lizard tongue..."

"Oh, gross! I'd forgotten that!" Jaden groaned.

"Oh, that reminds me, Jaden...he said in his diary that you're Duel Academy's version of Naruto..."

Alexis grinned. "Of course he is. You know, it might be fun to figure out which character we're all most like. What do you guys think?"

"Sure, why not?" Jaden said reasonably.

"The Chazz likes," Chazz grinned.

"I'm in," Annie said.

"Naruto?" Katai asked Kisara.

"It was an anime that was popular a few years back," the young mother and doctor explained.

Syrus nodded, and Atticus seemed eager enough. "Well then I'll start off by saying that Hinata is definitely Annie," Alexis stated, smiling.

"Thanks, Alexis! I love Hinata!" Annie said. "You're like Sakura, easy!"

Alexis grinned. "I guess you have a point there. I think some would compare me to Ino, too," she replied.

Syrus thought for a moment. "Well...I think Zane's just like Sasuke."

"What? Am I that emo?" Zane asked, a little shocked.

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "What? Would you like it better if I said Itachi??"

"NO!!" Zane yelped. "Hmmm...Sy...hard to figure you out...Atticus...you're Rock Lee..."

Atticus grinned, flipping his hair. "Hey, what can I say? We both have style," he replied, grinning. "Chazz is kind of like...man, there a few guys that could fit him."

"Hmmm...Shikamaru or Kiba, I think," Annie said.

Jaden nodded. "Bastion's like Shikamaru in brains, but I don't think he'd slack off like Shikamaru..."

"Why Kiba or Shikamaru?" Chazz wondered.

"Well, bro, you can be a bit full of yourself sometimes like Kiba. And you also shrug a lot of stuff off like Shikamaru," explained Alexis, grinning sheepishly.

Syrus blinked. "Oh yeah, who would Violet be??"

Annie and Alexis looked at each other. "Oooooh...Lady Tsunade!" Annie said.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Really? Why do you think that??" he asked.

"She's pretty tough," Annie said simply.

"Yeah, and you don't want to mess with her, remember?" added Alexis. They all remembered the episode when Tsunade had punched that hole through the wall. Hiro took a glance at the clock, realizing half an hour had passed by.

"Who'd be Choji?" Annie wondered. "Nobody in this room seems to fit Choji..."

"No...there's also Shino, Neji, and Tenten," reminded Syrus.

"Hmmm...Violet has her Tenten moments," Annie said thoughtfully. "Ooh...Zane, you're like Neji!" she squealed.

"Yeah, you are," agreed Alexis, grinning. Heck, it was better than being Sasuke or Itachi...or even Orochimaru.

"Oh, we forgot Tamari and Gaara!" Jaden said.

"I don't know if anyone matches them, though," Syrus replied, frowning.

"True, Sy...and maybe as far as Gaara's concerned...that's a good thing..." Everyone nodded. "So...am I Naruto?" Everyone nodded. "Cool!" Jaden grinned even more widely. "I'm Duel Academy's number one, hyperactive knuckleheaded duelist. I'm gonna be King of Games! Believe it!" And then he posed like Naruto Uzimaki.

Alexis sighed, but smiled nonetheless at her fiancé's silly nature. Syrus and Atticus were both laughing at their friend's imitation.

Zane looked at Jaden. "Oh, there are times I wish I knew how to do that fireball jitsu..."

Chazz grinned. "I'd like to do the shadow-clone thing..."

Annie smiled. "I'd like to do that fighting technique that Hinata used to fight the bugs in the anime..."

Jaden grinned. "I want to do the shadow-clones too! Send them to class!"

Syrus thought for a few moments. "That mind-transfer jitsu was pretty cool," he stated.

"I know I'd want the one that makes all those weapons shoot out everywhere at my enemy," stated Alexis.

"Mine would be Naruto's se-- I mean, transformation jitsu." Atticus was just barely able to stop himself from saying "sexy jitsu."

Annie looked at Atticus and grinned. "We all know which jitsu you were thinking of."

Chazz snickered. "Good going, bro!"

Atticus sweat-dropped, realizing he had in fact said enough to let everyone know what he meant. Alexis simply sighed and rubbed her temples, reminding herself to search her elder brother's room later.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

The group exhausted Naruto talk and lapsed into silence. Finally, after forty-five minutes, Scout Rhodes came into the room. "The surgery was successful. She's going to be okay..."

"Oh, thank goodness," Katai and Kisara said at the same time.

The teens let out a collective sigh of relief, and Syrus smiled at Annie. "Will you be okay now, Annie?" he asked, holding her hand.

Annie nodded tiredly. "Yeah...that just scared me... Is Bastion awake?" Bastion was still sound asleep.

"No, and since Violet's out of danger, I think he should sleep," Kisara advised. "I assume she's in the isolation ward?" she asked the other doctor.

"Yeah," Scout answered. "No one can see her just yet. It's because she's already fighting off an infection, guys. We want to give her a few hours."

"By then her parents might be here. I think it only takes four hours to get here from Ohio on a commercial flight," Alexis said.

"And they're on a private jet, so maybe they'll be here even sooner," Syrus figured. Atticus stifled a yawn; it was pretty early in the morning.

"I hope so," Scout said, moving to her three kids. "Are you kids all right?"

"I am, Mom," Chazz said; "I'm just tired."

"Yeah, it's really early, isn't it?" added Atticus tiredly. Alexis nodded in agreement.

"Maybe we could all get some more sleep?" Syrus suggested, also tired.

Annie was already nodding off. "Good idea," Kisara said. "Hiro, Katai...I'd like to speak with you two a moment...Kids, get to sleep, and I'll make sure no one bugs this room..." She nodded to Scout, who stepped out of the room.

Everyone was getting comfortable again in the chairs, the two couples using each other for pillows. Hiro glanced at his wife, and the two followed Kisara out of the room. Scout looked at Kisara as they and the Misawa parents stepped out into the hall. "What's going on, Kisara?" Scout asked.

"I needed you out here with us, just in case..."

"Okay, then..."

Kisara took a breath. "Hiro, Katai, how do you think Bastion would take being separated from Violet?"

Hiro was caught off-guard by the question, and had to consider for a few moments. "Well, Kisara, Bastion has never truly been in love with anyone until now. It is quite obvious that he and Violet love each other, since he proposed and she accepted. I believe that you saw for yourself how distraught he became earlier. If they're separated, I am quite sure that he won't take it well at all."

"That's what I was worried about. He won't do himself any favors, especially when he's been sick with what he's been sick with. He'll run himself down." She looked at her fellow doctor. "Scout...I think we need to bend the rules a bit. When she's able to be moved back here, Bastion stays with her..."

"Agreed...how do we explain it, though?" Scout wondered.

Kisara grinned. "Easy...exhaustion and observation..."

Hiro was a very smart man, especially when it came to optometry. But he was a bit unsure of why the two doctors needed an excuse to have them together. "May I ask why Violet needs an excuse to stay with Bastion? I understand that mono is spread by fluids, not air..."

"Hiro, it's to keep Bastion here," Kisara explained. "Ordinarily, you know we'd have to discharge him, but I don't want to risk him having a relapse...and possibly getting pneumonia, since the bacteria that causes strep also can pneumonia."

"Ah, I understand now. Jolly good idea, you two. Katai, perhaps you should go home. I don't want you to exhaust yourself here," Hiro said, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders.

"You either, Hiro...Maybe we should go home together...You're going to be too tired this morning," Katai pointed out.

Kisara nodded in agreement with Katai, as did Scout. "Hiro, go home...we'll keep an eye on Bastion. You won't be any use to your patients as tired as you are," Scout pointed out.

Hiro sighed, knowing all three women were right. Besides, he was outnumbered. "All right, all right. We'll both go home and rest. If anything happens, do give us a call, please?"

"We will," Kisara promised. "Get home and rest...the Haverbrooks should be here in about an hour or so...I'm going to see if they'd prefer a hotel or our house..."

"Right then. Goodbye you two. Try getting some rest yourselves." With that, the Misawa parents walked off down the hallway to return home.

"I hate leaving him...but I know we have to," Katai sighed, looking back as they walked down the hall.

"Yes, I know, darling. But he has his friends, and Kisara will watch over him for us. Soon he'll have Violet as well," Hiro replied, an arm over her shoulders.

Meanwhile, back at the room, the kids drifted off to sleep if they weren't in dreamland already. "XYZ Dragon Cannon, blast that Dark Witch..." Chazz murmured.

"Come back here dueling pizza slice," Jaden muttered.

"Water Dragon, put out that fire..." Bastion groaned softly.

"Lita, take out Avian with Supreme Thunder Dragon," Annie sighed.

"Gyroid, attack Zane directly," Syrus mumbled.

"Cyber Blader, destroy Jaden's Burstinatrix," Alexis muttered.

"Please, ladies, one at a time..." Atticus sighed.

Zane muttered, "Cyber End Dragon...blast Doom Lord to ashes..."

"Aww, they're dreaming of duels," Kisara smiled, hearing the kids in the room.

"They do that a lot. The first night Chazz was with us, they all fell asleep in the living room...but for some reason, Jaden dreamed about a dueling marshmallow," Scout explained.

"Hmm...sounds like Joey," Kisara murmured, getting some blankets over the kids. "We'll let them sleep as long as they can. Bastion, especially...his immune system is fighting this off..."

"Yeah..." Scout whispered, sitting down with her own kids.

Meanwhile, in the sterile isolation ward, Violet was drifting between a subconscious and unconscious sleep. "Ba...stion..." Somehow, her call reached him.

Back in the regular hospital room, Kisara sat next to Bastion's bed, checking his vitals and then brushing a lock of hair out of his face. "She'll be all right, honey...you just rest..."

"Violet," he whispered softly in his sleep, responding to his love's call.

_And so all is quiet now in the hospital room. Violet's going to be fine, and so is Bastion. Violet's family is on their way to Domino, so that means the future in-laws are meeting each other! So, next time: __**The Haverbrook Invasion!**__ What will happen when Violet's parents, brother and sister come to the city? You'll just have to read, review and tune in next time! Thank you! _


	54. The Haverbrook Invasion!

Chapter LIV: The Haverbrook Invasion

_Hello again, dear readers! For now, you may be pleased to know that the gang will have a respite from the pain! So enjoy this, folks! And thanks again for reading and reviewing! We love hearing from you all and we love responding to your reviews! And just a reminder that we love Dr. Vellian Crowler and teasing him is all in good fun!_

_Last time, Violet was raced into emergency surgery and would be fine. The Kaibas gave the Haverbrooks a lift from Cleveland and the gang discussed what characters of Naruto they were like after discovering thanks to Annie's fury of the previous school year that Doctor Crowler liked cosplaying Mighty Gai. So what will happen when the Haverbrooks show up? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: GX…we don't own it. We own this story, the Yugi-verse we have created, and our OCs and their families.**_

It was a little after sunrise when the Haverbrooks entered Domino Airport. Alan Haverbrook was piggy-backing Haylee, since she'd fallen asleep on the plane ride. Barbara and Bobby both split everyone's luggage to roll or carry as they made their way through the large airport.

The Kaiba Corp flight crew had seen the family to the concourse and now two men met them. "Are you the Haverbrooks?"

"We are," Alan answered. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Darien and this is Albert," he said, indicating the other man. "We're here with a limo to take you to Domino Children's Hospital. Mrs. Kaiba wants to update you personally and help you pick where you'll be staying."

Barbara was still worried; they hadn't been able to receive an update on the surgery. "Thank you, gentlemen." They followed the men out to the limo, getting inside while the two packed their bags into the trunk.

"I still can't believe that Seto Kaiba's wife is a doctor taking care of Vi!" Bobby stated.

Alan smiled. "Yeah, Bobby, it's really something. And I'm so glad she has friends again...and a boyfriend..."

"Yeah. And if this one does anything to her, I won't be in Florida. So I can pummel him for her," he replied.

Barbara smiled. "That's nice, Bobby. But when I spoke with Bastion over the phone, he seemed very nice. Far more so than Mike was."

"Yeah...I'll be glad to meet him face-to-face," Alan agreed. But a shadow crossed his features at the mention of the person who'd broken his eldest daughter's heart and almost broken her spirit. 'God help that monster should I ever get hold of him...'

Barbara noticed the look on her husband's face, and placed a gentle hand on his own. "I know what you're thinking, Al. Don't worry, all of us will make sure that...thing doesn't come near our daughter." Then, the limo came to a stop at Domino Children's Hospital.

"We're here..." Alan said. "Haylee...wake up..."

Haylee opened up her eyes. "Daddy, are we with Sissa?"

"We're at the hospital, angel," he answered softly.

"Don't worry, sweetie, we'll see her soon. Then, you can give your sister a big hug to cheer her up," added Barbara, smiling. The four got out of the limo, and decided to take their bags since they were only duffel bags.

"Did that Kisara person say where to meet her?" Bobby wondered.

"No, she didn't," Alan said, realizing. "I should've asked."

Fortunately, Darien had come around to the door of the limo. "Mr. Haverbrook, I'm going to call to Mrs. Kaiba and let her know you're all here. She may want to walk down to meet you..." Darien made the call. "Hello, Mrs. Kaiba, they're here."

"Thank you, Darien," Kisara whispered from in the hospital room. "I'll come down... bring them into the waiting room on the first floor and I'll be right down. I don't want to wake the kids."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered and hung up. "I'm taking all of you to a waiting room. Mrs. Kaiba will be there in a moment," Darien said.

"Thanks again. I hope she has information on Violet," Barbara replied as they walked.

Bobby was nearly shaking with excitement. "I can't believe I'm going to meet Seto Kaiba's wife!" he whispered eagerly. Bobby wasn't a duelist, but he looked up to Seto's ambition and inventing genius.

The Haverbrooks got themselves seated in the waiting room and Kisara arrived. "Hi, you must be the Haverbrooks. I'm Kisara Kaiba."

Alan stood. "Hi, Kisara, I'm Alan. Glad to meet you face-to-face at last. Thanks for everything."

"My pleasure..."

Alan Haverbrook stood tall at 5'8", and was well-built from working on cars day-in and day-out. He had cropped, black hair and startlingly green eyes. In his haste to get ready, Alan wore an orange T-shirt, beige khaki shorts, and white sneakers.

"Kisara, please, do you have any information on the surgery?" asked Barbara worriedly. She stood only half a head shorter than her husband, and was very lean. She had shoulder-length purple hair like her eldest daughter and calming blue eyes. Barbara was wearing a pink tank top, white, short-sleeved jacket, jeans, and white flip-flops. Bobby was the spitting image of his father, except that he had dark plum-colored hair and his mother's blue eyes. He was wearing a camouflage T-shirt, swamp green cargo pants, and white sneakers. Haylee, sitting beside her brother, looked much like a mini-Violet, except she had slightly darker skin and light lavender hair in pigtails. She wore a white tank top, purple skirt, and white sandals.

"Barbara," Kisara said, "Violet came out of surgery a few hours ago and she's doing fine. I'm afraid you can't see her yet as we're keeping her in the isolation ward. It's just to give her immune system some time to rebuild and her body to rest. Her spleen ruptured at about 1 AM and we got her into emergency surgery fast. Dr. Rhodes, the surgeon that worked on her, mentioned that repairing the spleen wasn't possible, so she had to remove the whole thing. Violet's going to be fine, and in a few weeks, she'll be back to a healthy, happy girl and the bundle of energy we've gotten to know and love."

"You've gotten to know her?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, and she's a wonderful young woman...And who is this?" Kisara asked, kneeling to little Haylee's level.

"I'm Haylee!" the little girl said, tackle-hugging the doctor.

Barbara laughed, regaining her usual happiness now that she knew her eldest daughter was okay. "If you liked Violet, then I'm sure that you're just going to love Haylee. I swear, those two are almost like twins," she explained.

Bobby grinned. "Looks like I won't be able to mess with my sister for a while, huh? That's too bad...it's been some time since I saw her."

Kisara, now on her butt on the floor, grinned happily at the seven-year-old girl's exuberance. "Oh, my, Haylee, I think you'll have to meet my kids and my friends' kids! And Bobby, you'll be able to see her soon, but no tackle-hugs for a bit..."

Alan moved to help the young doctor up. "I'm sorry about that, Kisara..."

"Oh, that was fine, Alan. I get tackle-hugged by my kids on a regular basis."

"Yes, it's the way our kids usually greet others, until they think that they're too old," Barbara replied, elbowing her son.

Bobby sighed. "Mom, I'm twenty-three. I don't see you and Dad doing that anymore," he countered, smiling.

"Well, anyway, I suppose everyone's asleep at the moment, right?"Barbara asked.

"Yeah, they all dropped off a couple of hours ago. No one up in the room went to sleep until they knew Violet was okay. They all stayed awake, except for Bastion. He was admitted along with her yesterday...poor kid," Kisara explained.

Barbara sighed happily at the thought of Violet actually having friends. "You don't know how glad we are to hear those words, Kisara. I'm afraid that before Duel Academy she only had one true friend. It's wonderful to hear that she finally found some more good ones."

"Hey, what's her boyfriend doing in here, anyway??" asked Bobby.

"She's got a great group of kids around her, Barbara," Kisara said. "They're like my friends are. We've been tight for a long time...And Bobby, it's okay with his parents for me to tell you...Bastion got feeling sick yesterday and at first, I wondered if he hadn't gotten mono from your sister, but it turned out instead that he had come down with a case of strep throat, and Violet had an ear infection along with a touch of strep and her mono. So they ended up together here in the hospital. And then last night when Violet got worse...I actually feared for Bastion because he got so upset. He's going to be staying here with Violet because of his own condition, as I don't want him relapsing or getting worse..."

"Worse?" Alan asked.

"Well, strep is the bacteria that causes bacterial pneumonia and I do not want to chance his health. And if something happens to him, Violet will not do well," Kisara explained.

"I see...I thought that they truly loved each other when Violet told me about the proposal--" began Barbara.

"PROPOSAL??" Both Bobby and Alan had shocked looks on their faces, and Barbara sweat-dropped.

"Oh, whoops, that was supposed to stay a secret until they came to Ohio tomorrow..."

"Proposal? Uh..." Alan was dumbstruck.

"Yeah..." Kisara said. "Apparently, Bastion asked Violet to marry him and she's accepted. Hiro, Katai and I were talking about it a little bit last night, and Bastion felt bad that he didn't formally ask your permission first, Alan..."

"Are you serious?"

"I am...Bastion's a very proper boy and he wants to do right by Violet. And he knows about Violet's ex."

"He knows?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, he knows and when Violet told him about Mike...well, I know you and I talked, Barbara...Bastion had to go outside and use the hospital swear field..."

"The swear field?" both parents asked.

"We try not to use bad language in here if we can help it, so we go out to a field and cuss if we have to," Kisara explained.

"Al, honey, he seems to be a very nice boy who really loves our daughter. Try not to be too hard on him about proposing without permission, all right?" Barbara soothed, placing a hand on his arm.

Bobby was still surprised, then frowned. "Aw, man! I can't believe my little sister got engaged before I even found a date!!"

Kisara smiled. "Oh, that sounds familiar. I got married a year before my brother did!"

Alan looked at his wife and smiled. "I won't be hard on him...I don't think I asked your dad's permission, Barb...I just asked."

"Oh yes, I remember that. Though, if I remember correctly, HE didn't happen to take it too well. I'm glad that Violet's father is more understanding," she replied, kissing his cheek.

Bobby made a face at his parents, turning his attention to Kisara instead. "Uh, anyway, should we try and find a hotel to stay at?" he asked.

"Oh, I should've brought that up!" Kisara exclaimed, blushing. "I was going to ask if you'd prefer a hotel or staying at our home. We have plenty of room, if you don't mind four little kids running around."

Alan looked at his wife, son and youngest daughter. "What do you guys think?"

At first, Barbara was going to choose the hotel, not wanting to burden the Kaibas. But then she remembered how bored Haylee could get-- just like her big sister-- and decided four other little ones would keep her plenty occupied. "Well, I think having some other kids to play with would be a good thing. Right, Haylee?" she asked.

Bobby grinned. "And I'll get to meet Seto Kaiba!" he cheered excitedly.

Haylee grinned ear to ear. "What are their names, Kisara?"

"Well, my kids are Noah, Serena, Jaime and Jenna, and they're two sets of twins. Noah and Serena are ten and Jaime and Jenna are 6."

"YAY!" Haylee squealed. "Are you sure about this, Kisara?" Alan asked.

"Positive and we're glad to have you..." she said easily. "I'll bet you'd all like to go and freshen up for a couple of hours..."

"It has been a long flight. And there's not much else to do since everyone's sleeping. But are you sure we won't wake up the family?" asked Barbara.

Bobby was as eager as his little sister, and his true inner-Haverbrook showed as he picked her up and swung her around. "I can't believe it! I'm staying with the Kaibas!! And I get to meet the CEO of Kaiba Corp, too!"

Kisara laughed happily. "Bobby, I take it you're a fan of Seto's? And would you maybe like a tour of the office building later?"

Bobby propped Haylee up onto his shoulders, grinning broadly at Kisara. "You bet I'm a fan! I'd love a tour!! There are two people who inspired me to open my own shop; Dad and Seto Kaiba," he explained excitedly.

Barbara sighed. "I'm sure that Violet has told you all about the slight rivalry between Bobby and herself?" she asked.

"Yeah...a little like my brother, Eddie and me...except with the pranking...Eddie tried pranking me a few times but it didn't work," Kisara smiled, remembering. "And neither of us dueled. I still let my husband, brother-in-law, sister-in-law and friends do the dueling."

"Sibling rivalry isn't exactly rare. But there was actually a reason for Violet and Bobby's. You see, Bobby has always been a fan of Seto Kaiba, while Violet has always been a fan of Joey Wheeler. I suppose you can see why they constantly pranked each other," Barbara explained, sighing again.

"I had to show her that Seto was way better than Joey! But...she usually got me back twice as hard after a prank," Bobby asserted.

"Well, Bobby, about 11 years ago, Seto and Joey put their rivalry to rest," Kisara grinned. She told them of the incident involving Seto and Joey and the blood donation. "After that, they became good friends and they started having fun together."

Bobby blinked a few times, then pouted. "Eh, that doesn't mean that Vi and me can't try proving who's better. Just because I'm putting the pranking on hold for now, that doesn't mean that it's gonna stop completely." He smirked, but the tough effect was thrown off by his stomach growling.

Barbara sighed. "We didn't exactly manage to get any breakfast. I knew it was only a matter of time with this family."

"It's all right, I'll call ahead and have Marie fix something up for you guys. Seto's already up and so are the kids. They watch their Saturday morning cartoons together."

"Oh, that reminds me of when Bobby and Vi were little and then the three and then Vi and Haylee," Alan smiled.

Kisara dialed fast and called to the mansion and had the cooks fix breakfast. "Mrs. Kaiba, are there any requests?" Marie wanted to know.

"I'll ask...Is there anything special you four would like?" the doctor asked.

Barbara thought for a few moments, and was about to answer when her son beat her to it. "Pancakes!" he exclaimed, grinning.

Barbara sighed. "I swear you can read minds, Bobby. I was just about to say that. Are you two okay with pancakes?"

Alan nodded. "Haylee?"

"YAY! PANCAKES!"

"Okay, then...have pancakes with all the toppings ready, Marie, along with anything else you can think of," Kisara said.

"With pleasure, Mrs. Kaiba," the cook answered. Kisara thanked her and hung up.

"Okay, everything will be ready for you and you can all enjoy some breakfast and take a rest. I'll call when you can see Violet," the young doctor told the Haverbrooks.

"Kisara, thank you...how can we...?"

"There's no need, I'm glad to do this and so is Seto," Kisara said, blushing.

Bobby glanced at his dad, getting an idea. "I know how we can repay you. I know it may not seem like a lot since you're rich, but dad and I each own our own sound system/decal shop. If you're ever in Ohio or Florida, we'll totally 'pimp your ride,'" he explained laughing.

"Oh, Bobby..."sighed Barbara.

Kisara smiled. "My brother-in-law may just take you up on that, Bobby. Mokuba's your age and he loves pimping his ride! Rebecca likes it as well..." They talked for a few minutes until they were back at the limo. "Go on and get some rest. Seto and the kids know you're coming."

"Great! See ya later, Kisara!!" Bobby replied, waving as he got into the limo.

"Thanks again for everything you and your husband are doing, Kisara. We're very grateful," Barbara added before getting in as well.

Kisara hugged Barbara. "It's going to be all right," she said softly. "And I only wish we could do more..."

"You've done so much," Alan said softly.

"BYE!" Haylee squealed from her seat.

And then Darien came to shut the door. The Haverbrooks left. "My goodness," Alan said softly.

"What a wonderful person. So generous and helpful; I'm glad that Violet met her," stated Barbara happily.

Bobby leaned back in his seat, grinning. "I guess Violet and I are tied on one thing. Both Joey and Seto have good tastes in women..."

"Hmmm..." Alan said thoughtfully. It didn't take long before the Haverbrooks were at the Kaiba compound. "Oh, my goodness," Alan said in shock.

"Wow...Daddy, when did we come to Duloc?" Haylee asked.

Barbara was staring up at the Kaiba mansion with wide eyes, never having seen anything so big. It's not every day that you see a mansion when you live in a quiet Midwestern town. "This is going to be sweet!" exclaimed Bobby excitedly. He had seen a few mansions down in Miami, Florida, but none like this.

And then, a young-looking man came out, clad in a pair of blue pajamas. He was followed by a little boy also clad in blue pajamas who looked a great deal like him. "Hi, you must be the Haverbrooks. I'm Seto and this is my son, Noah. Welcome."

Barbara smiled. "It's wonderful to meet you, Seto. Thank you so much for letting us stay with you. Your son is absolutely adorable! And my son's a bit of a fan of yours. Right, Bobby? Bobby??" Barbara noticed that her son seemed to be in a state of shock, perhaps from seeing his life-long idol in pajamas.

"Holy...it's him...THE Seto Kaiba..."he managed to mumble before fainting.

"Uh... Darien, carry him in, will you?" Seto said to the security man. "Kisara told me Bobby's a fan...first time I've had a guy faint near me, though...You must be Alan..." Seto said, shaking the man's hand.

"Yes, thank you so much for everything, Mr. Kaiba..."

"Please...call me Seto..."

Haylee, meanwhile, looked at the shortest person in the group. "Hi, I'm Haylee." "Hi, I'm Noah. Nice to meet you...My mom's helping your sister...want to see our media room? Marie'll bring breakfast to us down there!"

"Uh...okay!" Haylee said happily.

Barbara sighed at her son's action, sweat-dropping. "Sorry about that. He's looked up to you since he was a kid. I guess meeting you face-to-face was just too much for him," she explained as they headed inside.

"Oh, it's okay, really," Seto said, laughing. "I hope you all don't mind being in the media room with us..." Noah was already walking Haylee down to the room. "My kids and I watch cartoons and eat breakfast down there on Saturdays...Kisara's usually with us but when she has a patient, she wants to fight right along with that kid...I have to remind her to relax..."

"I understand completely. Al can get so caught-up in his work that he tires himself out. Luckily, I convinced him that Sundays are strictly off-limits for working," Barbara explained, grinning. All three Haverbrook children had witnessed the event, where their mother pinned their father to the ground and bent his arm back until he agreed to do so.

Alan laughed at the memory. "I'm Alan and I'm a workaholic," he said in the same tone that a recovering alcoholic uses at an AA meeting.

"My name is Seto and I'm also a workaholic," Seto said good-naturedly. "We both have wives that remind us of that. When Kisara and I started dating, she told me I was going to work myself to death...I didn't want to believe her..."

Barbara simply sighed, but smiled nonetheless. By now they'd made it to the media room, where the four Kaiba children and two Haverbrook kids already were. She sat on the edge of the couch Bobby had been laid on and prominently flicked his nose. Bobby instantly woke-up and promptly fell off the couch. "Works every time," was all she said.

"Wow...you've got a big brother," little Jenna said.

"Yeah," Noah agreed. "How old is he?"

"He's a grown-up...he's 23..." Haylee said simply.

"Wow, he's almost as old as Uncle Mokie and Aunt Becky," Noah said, impressed.

"And that's bad...why?" Seto asked his kids.

"No, Dad...it's COOL!" Noah exclaimed. His two sisters and brother nodded in agreement.

Bobby grinned sheepishly, a slight bump on his head from the fall. "Eh, thanks...I think." He then turned his attention to Seto, and managed not to faint for a second time. "Whoa...I still can't believe I'm standing here, talking to Seto Kaiba!" he exclaimed. Barbara simply sighed again.

Jamie tilted his head in confusion. "But...you are standing there, talking to Daddy," he stated simply.

Serena blinked and sweat-dropped at her brother's statement. "You must really look up to him," she added.

"He actually passed out, Serena," Noah said.

"Noah," Seto said in warning.

"Sorry, Bobby...Sorry, Dad..."

"Bobby's probably a little tired and that's why he passed out," Seto said. "Just pull up a chair and relax," he said.

"Thank you, Seto," Alan said. Haylee sat with the other kids on the floor and then Marie and some other staff members came in with breakfast.

"Breakfast is served and eat all you want," the head cook, a stout woman with gray hair and snapping blue eyes said happily.

Barbara sweat-dropped. "Ma'am, you're going to regret those words when it comes to this family," she replied. Bobby had already taken three pancakes with butter and syrup, as well as two pieces of toast with grape jelly.

"Oh, I'm just so glad to cook...for so long, Mr. Kaiba would hardly eat and his brother would but it wasn't enough..."

"Marie," Seto groaned, laughing, reminded of how he just hadn't eaten much in his teens.

"Well, at least Kisara set you on the right track again. Unfortunately, everyone in our family are big eaters from the start. Grocery shopping once a week almost isn't enough," Barbara explained, though she wasn't as much of an eater as the other four. Bobby had already eaten half of his plate, showing how Haverbrooks were also fast eaters.

"With these four," Seto said, indicating his children, also munching happily and chatting animatedly with the lavender-headed Haylee, "we're at the warehouse store at least once a week. And if we have company over, particularly Joey...we have to go at least two days a week."

"Kisara told us that you two ended your rivalry a few years back. Unfortunately, our children's still holds true. You see, Violet's always been a big fan of Joey, so--" Barbara began.

"So, we constantly prank each other and compete to prove who's better!" Bobby exclaimed, grinning.

Seto smiled. "Mokuba never could prank me...even when he got older...He could, however, prank Kisara a couple of times. But he never could get me..."

"We can get you, Daddy!" four young voices said in unison.

"Yeah...remember the Whoopee cushions, Dad?" Noah asked.

"Yes, in the business meeting," Seto groaned softly.

"Cushions?" Alan asked.

"He got everyone in the room," Seto groaned again.

"Hey, now there's a prank! High five, little man!!" Bobby laughed, grinning and holding out his hand.

Barbara laughed a little. "I know what you mean. Luckily, they only pranked each other and not us. Still...those sparklers did ruin a perfectly good pair of Bobby's pants."

Noah and Serena exchanged glances, as did Jamie and Jenna. "What is it?" Haylee asked curiously.

"Yet another good pranking idea, Haylee!" Jenna grinned. "We all love pranking Daddy, Mommy, Uncle Mokie and Aunt Becky."

"Uh...should we be worried?" Alan wondered.

Seto answered half-jokingly, "Be afraid...be very afraid..."

"Hey, only Vi was ever able to prank me. So I have nothing to worry about," stated Bobby smugly.

"Kids, prank my son all you want," Barbara said simply.

Bobby face-faulted. "Mom!!"

Seto sighed, laughing. "You don't know Noah that well, then, Bobby. This one's dangerous. Serena is his partner in crime. And Jamie and Jenna...they go along and do pretty well."

"What was the worst they ever did?" Alan wondered.

"Let's just say it involved Jello and my sneakers... and that was a month ago," Seto answered ominously.

"Jell-O?" Haylee asked Noah.

"Yup," he answered with a satisfied grin on his face.

Serena grinned. "It sure was funny to watch!" she added.

Jamie nodded in eager agreement with his big sister. "Well, it couldn't have been as bad as when Vi froze all of my boxers," replied Bobby.

"If you hadn't noticed, Violet often out-pranked Bobby," added Barbara.

"We did that to Uncle Mokie once," Noah grinned. "That was before he married Aunt Becky...man, he freaked..."

"He freaked?" Haylee asked, grinning.

"Yeah...He ran around the mansion yelling...and it woke Jamie and Jenna up from their nap..."

Jamie pouted. "Jenna 'n' me were mad 'cause we weren't in on it," he stated. By now, most of them had finished eating.

"Daddy, can we go outside and play with Haylee?" asked Serena.

Noah groaned, "Jamie, you guys were two!"

And then Seto said, "Go ahead, if it's okay with Haylee's mommy and daddy."

"Sure, it's fine with me," Alan said.

"YAY!!" the kids cheered, heading out happily.

"If she didn't sleep much, I guarantee she will sleep soundly later," Seto said.

"Don't worry, this whole family sleeps like rocks. See?" Barbara replied, nodding in Bobby's direction. He was curled up on the chair he'd been sitting in, in a deep sleep.

"I think we'll do the same," Alan said, looking at his wife. "We couldn't sleep on the plane...It's terrifying to think..." He couldn't complete the thought and Seto understood.

"Yeah...I know what you mean..."

"At least we know she's going to be okay now. It'll be so nice to see her in a few hours after her being gone for so long. I just hope we don't get lost on the way to our rooms," Barbara joked, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"I'll show you to them...I got lost in this house a few times," Seto grinned.

Alan moved to Bobby. "Bobby...son, come on...let's get you to a warm bed."

"All right," he mumbled, sitting up. The three remaining Haverbrooks followed their host out of the media room.

Seto took the three up to the second floor of the house and led them to three bedrooms. "Alan, Barbara, I had this room prepared for Haylee," he said, indicating a lavender room with a white four-poster bed and cute child-friendly furniture. "Bobby, your room is here..." he added. This room was decorated in varying shades of green and had a selection of car magazines. "When you're a bit more rested, Bobby, I'll take you to my car collection, but you need rest..." Seto said.

"Hey, cool! It's like a bigger version of my room," Bobby replied, grinning. He went into his room, leaving the three parents alone in the hallway.

"Okay, Alan, Barbara, here's your room," Seto said, opening the next door. The bedroom had a huge cherry wood sleigh bed with dark blue covers and the furniture was also cherry wood. "There's a TV in here," Seto told them, "and...you also have huge closet space and..." he continued, leading them to the bathroom, "a bathroom where you can just relax." It was big, having a huge shower and a very big bathtub. It was designed in sandstone and white granite. "I hope this is okay. Just relax and if you need anything, you can call the staff or me."

Barbara was speechless for a few moments, the room being even better than the one she and Alan shared on their honeymoon in Hawaii. "Oh my, Seto...this is amazing. Thank you."

"Yes, Seto, thank you..."

"No problem...just get some rest...With any luck, we'll hear from Kisara soon," Seto smiled. "Violet'll be okay..."

He left, and Barbara and Alan Haverbrook were alone. "This place is amazing, honey," Alan said to his wife.

"I know. I can't believe they'd do so much for us. I know not many people back in Cleveland would go through so much trouble," she replied, sitting on the bed. Then again, they weren't exactly in Cleveland anymore...

"Yeah...well, do you want to take a bath or shower before we take a rest?" he asked. And then they heard muffled shrieks of laughter coming from outside. They headed to the window and saw five children having the time of their lives outside. "Haylee's just having a blast!"

"Oh, it's so nice for her to have friends to play with. Unlike back home..." On the street the Haverbrooks lived, there weren't any sidewalks. It was hard finding kids for Haylee to play with outside of school. "I think I'll take that bath. Did you want a shower first?"

"You go ahead, honey," Alan said. "Take your time...I can wait."

"All right. Be out in a bit." Barbara pulled out a pair of pajamas from her bag and went into the bathroom to have her bath. After a while, the elder Haverbrooks bathed, went to sleep and waited for news of their daughter and sister.

_So we've met the Haverbrooks. We hope you like them! __Next time: The gang returns to the hospital to see a recovering Violet and a recovering Bastion. Hope to see you soon! Until then, read and review, everybody! Thank you!_


	55. Recovery

Chapter LV: Recovery

_Hello again, dear readers and thank you again for your wonderful reviews. 15animefreak15 thanks you for the warm reception the Haverbrooks have gotten. She is very happy you like them. Anyway…thanks again for your continued support, and on with the next chapter!_

_Last time, Violet's family arrived in Domino and met the Kaiba family. Kisara updated Alan (Violet's dad), Barbara (Violet's mom), Bobby (Violet's 23-year-old brother) and Haylee (Violet's 7-year-old sister). Seto and the four Kaiba children met up with the Haverbrooks when they arrived at the mansion. While the elder Haverbrooks went to take a nap, little Haylee played with the Kaiba kids. So what will happen next? Just stick around and we'll show you!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX…We just own our OCs, this story and this version of the Yugi-verse!**_

It was a good seven hours before Kisara called home to let the Haverbrooks know that they could come and see Violet. She was being moved out of the isolation ward and back to Bastion's room. Kisara had also called the Misawas to get them to come as Bastion would be meeting his future in-laws.

Kisara smiled at the group of kids in the room as Violet was brought back in. They had been asleep and had just awakened when she had received the news Violet was coming back. "Okay, guys, just be calm."

Bastion pressed the lift button on his bed and got into a sitting position. "She's definitely all right?"

Before Kisara could answer, Jaden said, "Yes, she is, Bastion. Just calm down."

"But..."

"Bastion, he's right," Kisara said. "She was in the isolation ward as a precaution and her vitals are okay now...She'll be here a week and so will you..."

"Okay," Bastion said, easing into his pillows.

Finally, Violet was rolled in on a stretcher and placed on the bed by two orderlies. She was paler than usual from the strain of surgery and fighting the infection, eyes half-lidded tiredly from pain medication. Her stitched-up side was hidden by her top and the covers, but her arm had a few band-aids on it from emergency vaccines.

"Violet?" Annie asked, coming over to the bedside. "Violet, how are you feeling?"

"Yeah...man, you scared us!" Chazz said, shivering.

"Violet...darling," Bastion called softly from his own bed.

"I feel...ow...and tired," Violet mumbled. Her eyes glanced over at Bastion, and she smiled. "Yay...hi, Bastion-baby," she greeted, unable to show her enthusiasm.

Syrus noticed her bandaged arm. "Hey, Kisara, I thought it was just her spleen that needed to be fixed."

"Well, we wanted to minimize the risk of sepsis to Violet's system," Kisara explained.

"Uh...what's sepsis?" Chazz asked.

"Man, I know that one," Jaden said.

"You actually know that, Jaden? You know something?" Chazz teased.

"Yup...sepsis is a body-wide bacterial infection that can be really dangerous...right, Kisara?"

"That's right, Jaden...the spleen is a line of defense in fighting infections and removing it removes a line of defense in the body. If Violet got sepsis now, it'd like if you had Ring of Defense, had it removed and got hit with a Crush Card virus," Kisara explained.

Violet blinked. "I didn't know we had Duel Monsters cards inside of us," she responded, a bit out of it.

Syrus sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Uh, I don't think that's what she meant, Violet," he stated.

"It's an analogy, honey," Kisara smiled, gently tapping Violet's shoulder. "I'm used to explaining things in Duel Monsters terms...it helps when I'm working with kids who are fans of the game. Anyway, we're just making sure you don't get something nasty."

"Right," Violet answered.

Then, there was a knock on the door, and Hiro poked his head in. "Hello everyone. Hope we're not interrupting."

"Oh, hi, Hiro! C'mon in! Everybody's up," Kisara said.

"Hey, Dad..."

And then Katai stuck her head in. "Hi, sweetheart...And hello, Violet...welcome back to the land of the living."

Violet's eyes widened. "I died?!" she asked incredulously.

Hiro sweat-dropped. "Eh, no, Violet. It's just a saying," he explained, rubbing the back of his head gingerly.

"You were out for quite a while, sweetie," Katai said softly, coming over to the bed. "Is it okay if I give you a kiss on the forehead, sweetheart?"

"Sure, fine with me. Since my mom's not here to do it," Violet replied, sighing.

Some of the others grinned. "Should we tell her?" Atticus asked Kisara.

"Yup...Violet, your mom, dad, brother and sister are coming and should be here in a few minutes. We flew them in from Cleveland early this morning."

Violet blinked a few times as the information sunk in, then gaped. "What? They're here??" She'd meant it to be a yell, but such energy wasn't in her at the moment.

"Yes, Violet, they are. One of the reasons we're here is to help Bastion meet them face-to-face," Hiro explained.

"I was just...uh...I don't know if lucky is the right word...meeting one's future in-laws can be...difficult," Kisara said. "My mom had that problem...But even with the nicest of people it can be an awkward situation..."

"Awkward?" Bastion asked.

Katai smiled. "Yeah, sweetie...when my parents met your father for the first time, even though they were nice it was...nerve-wracking. But it worked out..."

"That's good," the boy said, but looking a little apprehensive.

Amazingly, since they were on the subject, another knock on the door was heard. "Pizza delivery for a Miss Haverbrook!" called a male voice.

Violet groaned and rubbed her forehead with her non-sore arm. "That's Bobby, all right."

"C'mon in, guys!" Kisara called cheerfully.

"No tackle-hugging, Haylee, remember?" Alan asked his daughter.

"I remember, Daddy," the small girl said, holding a bouquet of flowers she'd picked from the Kaibas' garden. Katai and Hiro stood up from where they'd been sitting as the Haverbrooks entered.

"Hey, Vi," Alan said, coming up to his daughter's bed. "Kisara, can I..?"

"Just hug her gently..."

Violet brightened when she saw her family, and carefully hugged her father. "Hey guys. Oh, Haylee, are those for me?" she asked, smiling.

"Yup. She picked them just for you, sweetie. I'm so glad you're okay." Barbara replied as Bobby also hugged his sister.

"I told you you'd get into trouble without me around," he joked.

"Sissa," Haylee said, tugging on her father's pants. Alan lifted his youngest child so she could hug her sister. "Violet, I was scared," she said. Children have a knack for sensing how the grown-ups around them are worried and knowing that something is wrong even when the grown-ups try not to act like it.

Violet used her good arm to pull Haylee onto the bed, setting the girl beside her. "Sorry I worried you, Haylee. I'm okay now, though. See?" she asked, tickling her little sister.

Meanwhile, Bobby made a quick glance around the room, eying each of the boys. "So, who's Bastion?" he asked, forgetting the boy was also being hospitalized.

"Terribly sorry, that would be me," the boy said from his bed. "Bastion Misawa...a pleasure. Um...I'm afraid I can't get out of bed at the moment..."

Alan came over to shake Bastion's hand. "It's all right, Bastion. I'm Alan; I'm Violet's dad..."

"She has your eyes," Bastion observed, shaking his hand.

Bobby smacked his forehead. "Oh, right, duh! Forgot you were sick, too. The name's Bobby! Nice to meet you!!" he greeted, shaking Bastion's hand eagerly.

"So we finally meet in person. I'm Barbara of course, Violet's mother," Barbara greeted, simply waving.

"Hello, I'm Hiro; Bastion's father. And this is my wife, Katai," Hiro greeted.

"I'm so glad to finally meet all of you," Katai said happily, shaking the men's hands and hugging Barbara.

Haylee climbed down from her sister's bed and tore over to the Misawas. "HI! I'm HAYLEE!!" she squealed, happily ready to tackle-hug, but Katai knelt down and caught the small girl easily.

"My goodness! You look a lot like your sister! It's been wonderful to have her with us, too, Alan, Barbara."

"She's quite the ball of energy," added Hiro, smiling.

"Oh yes, she takes after Violet in a lot of ways," replied Barbara.

Violet grinned sheepishly. "She's like a mini-me, I guess," she added.

Bobby laughed, then finally noticed the necklace she was wearing. "Hey, Vi, where'd you get that?"

"I...gave it to her," Bastion said shyly. "I wanted to give Violet something...to celebrate...our engagement...Mr. Haverbrook, I'm terribly sorry, but I asked your daughter to marry me before I formally asked your permission. Please forgive me..."

"No worries, Bastion," Alan said. "It's all right, and I can't think of a more wonderful young man for my little Violet." Bastion looked very relieved.

"Hooray. The family accepts," cheered Violet as enthusiastically as she could.

"We can hardly wait until you two are healthy enough to come to Ohio. We'll treat you just like family, Bastion," explained Barbara, smiling.

Bobby grinned. "That means you're liable to get prank-OW!! Ow-ow-ow-ow," he whimpered.

Violet, even in her weak state, had quite the hold on his ear. "Don't...you...dare..."

"Oh, don't worry about it...Jaden's pranked me a few times...as have the others...And I've survived a run-in with your sister's pink bazooka," Bastion said very seriously.

Alan looked at his daughter. "You used your bazooka on him?"

Violet sweat-dropped and promptly released her brother. "Uh, well, you see, there WAS a good reason at the time," she mumbled, blushing. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to bring up the panty raid.

"Sometimes I wonder if we should have bought her that thing, Al," stated Barbara, sighing.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "She'd have just made her own, anyway..."

"She can make her own weapons?" Chazz suddenly looked frightened.

"And who might you be?" Alan asked.

"Charles Xavier Rhodes, but you can call me Chazz. Everybody else does, Mr. Haverbrook..."

"Oh, everybody just call me Alan...that goes for my future son-in-law...and who's Annie?"

"Um...I am," Annie said from her lounger. "Nice to meet you finally!" she said happily, hugging him.

"Of course I can make my own weapons. But that's beside the point. Mom, Dad, that boy right there is Syrus Truesdale. He's Annie's boyfriend," Violet explained, pointing.

"Uh, hi. It's nice to meet you," greeted Syrus nervously.

"It's wonderful to meet both of you. Do call me Barbara," replied Barbara, smiling.

"Hi, Barbara, Alan...Violet's my best friend," Annie said. "Hi, Haylee," she greeted the small girl.

"ANNIE!!" squealed the seven-year-old. Haylee climbed to the lounger and hugged Annie.

"I'm Jaden Yuki," Jaden said shaking hands.

"Zane Truesdale, I'm Sy's brother," Zane introduced himself.

Jaden grinned. "Violet and I drew in a duel and Annie kicked Zane's butt!"

"Ha, so my sis has some talent, after all. Like the card I gave you, Vi?" joked Bobby, grinning.

She merely sighed and flicked him, sending him sprawling to the floor. "I'm Alexis, Jaden's fiancée. And this is my older brother, Atticus," greeted Alexis.

"Bobby, you're lucky she didn't use her special pink boomerang on you for that card," Annie joked. "Poor Paula Abdul...I hear she's still in the psych ward at Cedar Sinai..." Everyone who had sang in the infamous worst version of "My Heart Will Go On" exchanged glances and grinned.

Bobby sat-up and blinked. "Well, at least I got to see Seto Kaiba!" he retorted, completely changing the subject.

Violet's brow twitched and Barbara sighed. "You should have seen it. He fainted the moment they came face-to-face," stated Barbara, grinning.

"Mom!!"

"Oh, my," Kisara said, laughing. "That's not the first time it's happened. And it won't be the last. Did you get to meet our kids?"

"Oh yes. All of them are just adorable, and Haylee seems to have lots of fun playing with them," replied Barbara, smiling.

"Oh, wonderful...Oh, Violet, I forgot to mention..." Kisara said with a look of surprise on her face, "Karen will come down here to check on you...I told her you were unable to have a formal session today..."

"Karen?" Alan asked.

"Karen Otani...she's the counselor I set Violet up with. She's very relaxed and likes to get to know a patient before she talks about their problems."

"Oh, okay. And she's better than the other ones, Dad," added Violet, smiling.

"I'm glad to hear that, sweetie," replied Barbara. Then, for the third time that day, there was a knock on the door.

"Hello, Violet!" Karen Otani greeted as she came in the room. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Hi, Kisara!"

"Hey, Karen!" Kisara greeted. "You're not. In fact, you finally get to meet Violet's family."

"Oh, I see the resemblance!"

"Hi, Karen," greeted Violet.

"Hello, Karen. I'm Barbara; Violet's mother. It's so nice to meet you," greeted Barbara, shaking her hand.

"I'm Bobby, her big brother! Thanks for helping my sis'!!" greeted Bobby, grinning.

"Hi, I'm Alan, thanks for helping my girl," the father said, smiling.

"And I'll bet I know who this is," Karen said, kneeling down at Haylee's level. "Hello, Haylee!"

"Hi! You're pretty!"

"Thank you," Karen said, blushing nicely. "Violet's told me about all of you and I'm so glad to meet all of you...I'm sorry you're sick, Violet...You won't be going home tomorrow?"

Violet sighed and shook her head. "No, Kisara says I have to stay here for a week because of the surgery," she explained, frowning. Sure, Violet may have been nervous about going home, but she'd been looking forward to it as well.

"Is that right?" Karen asked. "Yeah..." Kisara answered. "Violet needs the week and then she'll have to be careful for a few weeks...but she can go home very soon here..."

"Wonderful...so we'll just have a casual chat again," Karen grinned. "Unfortunately, I'll bet Mountain Dew is off the menu?" she asked.

Kisara nodded. "You guessed right...no soda for a bit..."

"Eh?? Man, this is worse than the time Mom declared a soda ban for a week 'cause I mixed Bobby's white clothes with my red ones," Violet muttered, pouting.

Bobby glared at his bed-ridden sister. "I was wearing pink for weeks," he grumbled, arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh, man…" Jaden started cracking up. "Sy, do you remember when we did the laundry?"

Syrus grinned sheepishly and sweat-dropped. "Yeah, Jay, I remember. They never did give us laundry duty again after that," he replied.

"Oh...is that why we ended up with pink boxer shorts that week?" Zane asked.

"Oh yes," Bastion answered. "Many Ras weren't that surprised...Atticus, you were still missing at the time, but the Obelisks nearly rioted, and Dr. Crowler...well, we all know how he reacts..."

"Did I miss something?" Chazz wondered.

"Oh, yeah...you were at North Academy when that happened, Chazz!" Jaden realized.

Violet snickered, remembering how the Obelisk boys had rampaged about the island waving their pink boxers. "I didn't think they'd get that upset. So much for being the 'elite' of the academy," stated Alexis, sighing.

"That was back when everybody was still so divided," Annie commented. "Jaden's kind of been our unifying force."

"Unifying force?" Karen asked.

"Well, back when we started, the Obelisks, Ras and Slifers all were divided along our dorms, but a few of us broke ranks and became friends. And Jaden proved that it doesn't matter what blazer you wear that makes you a great duelist. In fact...some of the Obelisks are downright idiots," Annie concluded.

"Don't forget annoying. They were always hitting on us girls," added Violet, frowning.

Alexis nodded and glanced at Chazz. "At least some of them managed to change their ways. Right, bro?" she asked.

"Yeah...I was a real jerk in our first year...I was...dealing with a lot..."

"Yeah, I saw that," Karen said. "I'm glad you ended up with what you probably really wanted all along..."

Chazz looked at Karen. "Was it that obvious?"

Karen smiled sadly. "I've seen kids who've had that sort of damage and all they want really is a family that will love them..."

"And that we do!" cheered Atticus. Both he and Alexis placed their arms around Chazz and grinned happily.

"Yeah, family's great. Even if some of them can be annoying at times..." replied Violet, glancing at Bobby.

He sweat-dropped. "What? You can be annoying, too, you know."

Haylee looked at her big brother and sister. "I love my brother and Sissa!!" she smiled, tackle-hugging her brother.

"So, Annie, you've been here in the hospital, too?" Alan asked.

Annie nodded. "Yeah...I'm having some heart trouble...but Kisara and Dr. Benson think I'll be okay..."

Violet grinned as another one of her crazy ideas struck her. "Hey, Annie, we can be hospital buddies," she stated happily.

Bobby blinked. "That's the crazy sister I know and love," he replied, poking her. Violet poked him back agitatedly, and the two met in the classic "sibling rivalry glare."

"Yeah...we'll be hospital buddies," Annie said.

"And Violet, we wouldn't have you any other way than what you are. I think that's what your brother meant," Alan said.

Violet finally turned away from her brother, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know, I know. But he's still annoying," she replied simply.

Barbara sighed. "We might as well give it a rest, Al. Those two will always get on each others' nerves."

"Bobby, just keep your sister calm and happy, okay?" Kisara asked. "Violet, are you happier when he's like this?"

Violet sighed, frown quickly replaced by a grin. "Yeah, he may be annoying, but he's still my big brother. Besides, I'll get him back when I'm out of this hospital bed," she replied, eyes shimmering with mischief.

Bobby sweat-dropped. "Just leave my boxers out of it for once, all right?"

Everyone laughed. "Never mess with a guy's boxer shorts...unless they're Doctor Crowler's!" Zane grinned wickedly.

Violet couldn't laugh for more than a second before holding her side, wincing. "Ouch. Don't tell me I can't even laugh," she groaned, falling against her pillows.

Kisara was over at Violet's bedside in an instant. "It's hurting? Let me have a quick look..." She checked fast. "Just relax a minute, Violet...Laughing will hurt a little, but you can still do it if you take it easy...in the meantime, I think you're ready for another shot of pain medication," she said, consulting her patient's chart.

"Great...more needles," Violet grumbled, sighing. They didn't scare her as much anymore, but all those emergency vaccinations hadn't exactly been pleasant.

"Oh, so that's why your arms all bandaged up. I'm surprised you didn't faint like you used to," replied Bobby.

"She had the shots when she was in a lot of pain," Kisara explained. "And Violet, this just goes through your IV," she added, loading a syringe with some medication. She put it in through a stopper-like thing in the IV and it flooded into Violet's bloodstream quickly.

"Oh, right. Well, that's good. Since I'm still having trouble feeling my arm," she joked, grinning. Suddenly, a few stomachs grumbled, causing the respective teens to blush.

"Is everyone hungry?" Kisara asked knowingly.

"Yeah, I'm starved!" Jaden said.

"Me, too," Chazz added.

Annie, too, nodded. "We slept so late; we didn't really get hungry until now."

Violet lifted her top to look at the bandaged, stitched spot on her lower abdomen. "Uh, can I still eat without my spleen?" she asked warily.

"I didn't even know that you didn't need it," stated Syrus, grinning sheepishly.

"You can still eat without your spleen, Violet," Kisara assured her. "What the spleen does is filter your blood and help fight infections. It also is like a reserve system so you have extra blood in an emergency. But when the spleen does what yours did, it needs to be taken out...The rest of your lymphatic system can take over for what was lost."

"Wow," Haylee said. "That's a lot of stuff."

Violet blinked a few times, then shrugged. "Well, as long as I can still eat, then I'm good," she replied simply.

"She's a Haverbrook, all right," stated Barbara, sighing.

"Whoa," Jaden said.

"So what does everybody want for breakfast?" Kisara asked, looking at the clock. "Or should I say, a late lunch?"

"Eh, I don't really care what so long as it's not Chinese food," Violet asserted.

"Yeah, Violet, you've told us already," Syrus reminded her, sweat-dropping.

"We should get something that can be split into multiple servings. That way we don't have to order a bunch of food," offered Alexis.

"Hmmm...How about sub sandwiches?" Kisara suggested.

"Sounds great to me. Do they have tuna?" asked Violet.

"I'll take ham and mayo," Syrus said, smiling.

"A TLT, please," Alexis requested.

"What's that??" asked Bobby curiously.

"Turkey, lettuce, and tomato," Alexis explained.

"I'll take salami, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, and jalapenos," stated Atticus, grinning.

Jaden grinned. "I want roast beef with everything!"

"Italian sub," Chazz requested.

"Meatball, please," Zane said.

Kisara looked at the other four Haverbrooks. "What would you guys like?"

"Oh, thanks, but I'm not very hungry myself. Only the kids inherited their father's appetite. Eating like a bird runs in my side of the family," Barbara explained, smiling.

"Well, I'll take a tuna with lettuce, mayo, and cheddar," replied Bobby, grinning.

"Ham and cheese!" Haylee squealed.

"I'll take a tuna as well," Alan said.

"Barbara, are you sure?" Kisara asked as she wrote down the orders.

"Oh, don't worry about me. After seeing the way these four eat day-in and day-out, I never really could keep up much of an appetite," she replied, grinning.

"Kind of like Jaden," stated Syrus, sweat-dropping.

Jaden grinned. "Only Violet and maybe Atticus...oh, yeah and Tyson can match me at eating!"

Alan sweat-dropped. "Are you kidding? My daughter has competitors?"

"Yeah, Dad. Those guys can really eat. I think we scared some of the other students when we had eating competitions, though," Violet replied, grinning sheepishly.

"I know I couldn't eat dinner after watching you guys scarf down all that fried shrimp," stated Alexis, grimacing.

"Hmmm...sounds like Joey," Kisara said, shaking her head.

"Joey?" Alan asked. "That wouldn't be Joey Wheeler, would it?"

"It would, actually...he's one of my friends who eats just like these kids. When we were in here with Annie that first night, Seto ordered pizza and the restaurant brought in 20 boxes of large pizzas. There was nothing left. Violet felt a little lousy but she went through seven slices."

Bobby frowned. "If it wasn't for the face that you were feeling lousy, I'd say that you lost your touch, Vi. Last time I checked, you held the family record for being able to eat twenty slices of pizza," he stated. Quite a few jaws dropped.

"T-Twenty??" asked Syrus, looking sick.

"Hey, she only beat me by one slice! And it wasn't exactly fair since she managed to snatch the last one by playing dirty," Bobby explained.

"Whoa..." Jaden was awed.

Zane sighed. "Oh, lord..."

"Don't try it, kids. Violet was home sick for two days after that and couldn't eat pizza for months. She hasn't tried anything like that since then," Barbara explained.

"Yeah, no higher than fifteen from now on," stated Violet.

"How can you do it, Violet?" Annie asked. "I still can't figure it out...But we'll have a week to do it, because Sy and I aren't leaving until you're out of the hospital, okay?"

"Oh, thanks you two. Hugs please," Violet requested, unable to do so herself. 'As soon as I've fully recovered, I'm gonna tackle hug every person I see,' she thought.

Annie and Sy hugged her first and then the rest of the group followed suit. "I'm sorry, darling, I wish I could," Bastion said sadly, still too tired to get out of his own bed.

"Violet, we aren't leaving you," Annie said. "You're my best friend...and as Tyson says, we don't leave a fellow soldier behind."

"Yeah," Jaden said. "We aren't leaving either of you..."

Violet sniffed a little, and wiped some tears from her eyes with the back of her arm. "You guys...thanks. I never thought I'd be able to have such good friends..."

"Neither did I," Annie said, hugging Violet again and crying a little herself.

Unfortunately, the fluffy moment was interrupted by more knocking on the door. This time it really was a delivery man with the subs, as he poked his head around the door. "I have an order here for a Kisara Kaiba..."

"That would be me," Kisara smiled. She paid the delivery man and then handed out the subs. She'd gotten snacks for herself and the Misawas (Bastion's throat was really too sore to do anything more than swallow some chicken soup), and soon the room was filled with the sound of eating.

"Man, this is great," Jaden grinned.

"Yeah..." Zane said.

"Oh, Violet! I have something big to tell you!" Annie said excitedly, "and it involves you too, Kisara!"

Violet had about a fourth of the six-inch sub in her mouth, and so could only blink at Annie's statement. Bobby had almost half of his six-inch sub in his mouth, so it was up to Barbara to communicate for Violet. "If you're wondering, she asked 'what?'" she stated simply.

"How'd you know what she said?" asked Syrus, confused.

"Well, when you've eaten around this family long enough, you get used to how they communicate with their mouths full."

_Oh…Annie has a surprise and it sounds like a good one! So, what does she have in store for the group? Next time: Surprises! So stay tuned and please leave your reviews! We're glad to respond to them! Thank you!_


	56. Surprises

Chapter LVI: Surprises

_Hello again, dear readers! Welcome to yet another chapter of "Summer Love, Summer Fears." Thanks again for the reviews, everyone, and welcome to those of you who have just joined this tale. We're glad to have you along! And to those of you who have rejoined us, welcome back!_

_Last time, Violet came back to the hospital room from the isolation ward, her family met the group and Annie revealed she had a secret to share with the entire gang. So what is it? Read and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach and 15animefreak15 own nothing but their OCs, this storyline, their version of the Yugi-verse, and the idea for Sailor Blue Eyes, which was inspired by Sailor Moon. They also do not own Loder's Shake Shoppe.**_

Annie smiled as she revealed her big surprise to her group of friends and a hero of hers. "Well, I've been working on a movie using holographic clones..."

"Yeah," Kisara answered.

"I think I'll be done with it in a day or two. If you can get Seto and everybody together on Tuesday, maybe I can give Violet and everybody a little entertainment in the form of 'Sailor Blue Eyes: Love Conquers the Darkness!'" the blue-eyed, brown-haired girl said proudly.

The others either nearly spit out or choked on their food. "How cool! I can't wait to see it!!" replied Violet excitedly.

"Hey, if it has Seto Kaiba in it, then I'll watch," added Bobby, grinning.

"It has Seto in it, and Kisara's the heroine, but she can't win the fight without her friends!" Annie said happily.

"Sailor Blue Eyes?" Zane asked, looking a little apprehensive. It sounded a bit like Sy's favorite magical girl anime.

Atticus elbowed his best friend playfully. "Aw, come on, Zane. Don't tell me you're scared of a girl," he teased, grinning.

"No...it's just...Annie...that's...impressive..."

"Yeah, and Sy helped me finish the movie, finally," Annie grinned.

"Sy, what did you do?" his brother asked.

"Yeah, Sy, what did you help her with?" Jaden asked, everyone looking at the aqua-blue-haired duelist curiously.

"Yes, Syrus, we're all dying to know," Bastion said.

Even if it was just his friends, everyone staring still made Syrus nervous. What he did wasn't exactly anything all that admirable, either. "Well, I, uh...drew the special flower Annie needed," he mumbled, blushing a little.

"Oh, so you finally managed to get the flower part done? I told you that you were thinking too hard like you always do," replied Violet, grinning.

"Yeah, Violet! Sy figured out the perfect Life Flower of Atlantis!" Annie grinned and then kissed her boyfriend on the cheek.

"The Life Flower of Atlantis?" Kisara asked. "Wait a minute...Annie? When was this?"

"The Orichalcos Crisis," Annie answered.

"Annie's been working on it since the middle of the first year at Duel Academy. I can't wait to see the movie. It has to be good if it's taken this long," explained Violet, taking a bite out of her sub.

"Yeah, it sounds cool. I'm eager to see it, myself," added Alexis, smiling.

"Since the middle of our first year?" Jaden asked in shock. Annie nodded, blushing. "Wow..."

Zane looked at her in awe, too. "No wonder Violet had to drag you out of your room sometimes. Is that why you were so intent in Hologram Design?"

"Uh, yeah," Annie answered, blushing hotly. "I, uh, knew a little bit already, but I needed to know more so my holographic actors were accurate..."

Kisara was looking at her curiously. "How long is it?"

"It's about two hours long. I based it off of a Sailor Moon movie."

Kisara regarded Annie for a moment, looking concerned. "Honey, could I talk to you for a minute outside about it?"

Annie nodded. "Okay..."

Violet watched as the two left the room, frowning slightly. "I wonder what that was about..."

Outside the room now, Kisara met Annie's eyes. The two were about the same height so that happened easily. "Just how much do you know about what happened?"

"Everything, including that something really messed Mai up after Battle City and then she came back after what happened with Yugi."

"Okay, then do you know what happened with the Orichalcos?"

Annie nodded. "That's part of what changes...You stopped the Seal from taking them and Mai gets back with the team."

"Oh, okay...I just wanted to know so I could talk to her...it's done okay, though?" Kisara asked, a little concerned about the movie because of Mai's involvement in the Orichalcos Crisis, as Annie called it.

"Yeah...I can show you before I premiere it, if you're worried..."

"Thank you, Annie and you can come to the mansion and work on it there if you want. Seto has a great editing room," the doctor offered.

"Thanks, Kisara!" Annie said, hugging the woman happily.

"Let's head back in the room," Kisara said, and Annie nodded again.

"Hey, you guys aren't keeping secrets, are you?" asked Violet suspiciously. In truth she was just joking, but wanted to see their reaction.

"And what was that thing you mentioned earlier? 'Orichalcos??' Is that Latin for something?" Bobby questioned, curious.

"Bobby, do you remember a few years ago when Duel Monsters seemed to roam the earth?" Kisara queried.

Bobby paused in his eating, thinking back to when he was still just a kid. "Uh...oh yeah! That was pretty weird. I never understood if it was like a nation-wide parade or something..."

"Well, that was because some idiot tried for world domination and opened the portal between our world and the world where Duel Monsters live," Kisara explained.

"That was real?" Alan asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah...those monsters had heartbeats..."

"Oh, my!" Katai exclaimed.

Annie was, oddly enough, smiling. "I met Usagi for the first time, then. I'd just turned four."

"Hey, wait a second...I can kind of remember that. There were dragons in the sky, and I got to meet Watapon. He was the only Duel Monster I had back then. Though, I did see some aliens," Violet explained.

"Whoa," Chazz said. "I kind of remember it, too...Now I remember..." He glared over his shoulder at the Ojama brothers.

"Me, too," Jaden said, oddly.

Zane nodded, too. "That was when you said you went steady with Dark Magician Girl, Sy..."

Syrus blushed, remembering the encounter he'd had as a little kid. "Well, see, she kind of saved me from falling off my bike," he explained.

"Falling off your bike?" Annie asked. "Really, Sy? That sounds so cool...What happened?"

"Well, I was riding my bike around in the front yard, and was still kind of learning. Then, a real, live Cursed Dragon flew past and sent me flying across the lawn. But, before I hit the ground, Dark Magician Girl saved me..."

"Aw," Annie said, hugging him.

"Anyway," Kisara said, "Some bad stuff happened and this big monster was going to be unleashed and destroy the world. Needless to say, there are some things about that that still are fresh with us...I needed to know what Annie knows about it and just how well she paid attention in class..."

"I slept through Dueling History, so it's new to me," Jaden blushed. "How can Professor Stein make even Battle City seem like my dad's legal briefings?"

"Or our dad's accounting work?" Zane wondered.

"It's that voice! It's about as enthusiastic as Haylee when it comes to eating spinach!!" exclaimed Violet.

Bobby grinned. "That bad, huh? Guess you forgot about Mrs. Crabtree," he replied. Violet visibly twitched at the name.

"Mrs. Crabtree?" Bastion asked. "Darling, do I dare ask?"

Alan snickered. "You just might..."

Violet sighed. "Her real name's Mrs. Catri, but she definitely earned the nickname. Worst fourth grade teacher ever. Not only did she have a lecturing voice almost as bad as Mr. Stein's, she was even stricter than Dr. Crowler is! I remember one time she gave us three days to type a five-page essay on the history of Ohio. I nearly failed the class because of that!" she explained.

"And she was just as bad when I had her. If not a little more energetic in her assignments and punishments," added Bobby, grimacing.

"Well, I heard she's finally retiring," Alan said, "so Haylee will be spared the torture..."

"YAY!!" Haylee said enthusiastically.

"Stricter than Crowler? Oh," Jaden moaned.

"One thing, though...Catri's actually a woman," Chazz said, straight-faced.

Most of the ones in the room who knew Crowler laughed, and pain reminded Violet to stifle most of hers. "Good point, Chazzy," she replied, grinning.

"Thank you," Chazz said seriously. "Dr. Crowler has his moments..."

"Yes," Bastion said. "I really wish I hadn't given him that black eye...Sorry, Chazz..."

"Hey, I'm the one who tossed your deck..."

"You were the victim of a plot, old friend..."

"Yeah, but that was..."

"Are you two channeling Sy and Annie or something?" Zane wondered aloud.

"Huh?" said couple wondered.

Violet had noticed it as well, sighing in an aggravated way. "You guys are apologizing to each other like crazy. It's so annoying..."

Alan looked at Annie and Sy. "You two really apologize all the time?"

Annie looked at Sy and then the group. "Uh...do we?"

"Uh," muttered Syrus. Quite a few in the group nodded.

"You guys are just always blaming yourselves for stuff. Luckily, you each have been raising each others' self-confidence," explained Alexis.

"That's...good," Annie said, looking at Sy, stunned. "Oh...yeah, we do do that, don't we?" He nodded.

"Why do you do that, Annie?" Haylee wondered.

"I...don't know," Annie answered, and then started laughing.

"You two probably think that you need to keep people happy, right?" Katai opined.

"Maybe...Sy?" Annie asked.

"Uh, well, I just never wanted to make anyone mad at me...And everyone was happier if they didn't have to take the blame for something," he explained.

"But you gotta think of yourself sometimes, Sy!" replied Atticus, grinning.

"Yeah, you've gotta stop kicking yourself, Sy...you too, Annie!" Jaden added.

Chazz nodded in agreement. "Yeah... and why should you take the blame for something someone else did?"

"Good point..." Annie said.

"Yeah, very good point," Kisara said. "Apology is good for the soul," she continued, "but when you're doing it just to make people feel okay at your expense, that's not good. Got it? Especially my heart patient?"

"Yes, Kisara," Annie said and seemed on the verge of saying something more.

"Don't say it," Kisara said, laughing.

"You were about to say sorry, weren't you?" asked Violet, grinning.

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "Guess we just can't help it sometimes," he replied.

Everyone laughed. Karen, all this time, had sat and listened. 'These are good kids...it's a good thing she has them...' "Barbara, Alan, could I talk to you out in the hall for a couple of minutes, please?" she asked.

"Oh, all right. We'll be back in a moment, Violet," Barbara replied.

"All right!" Violet grinned, waving. The two parents followed the counselor outside into the much quieter hallway.

"Barbara, Alan, I'm actually very glad you're here," Karen said. "Since Violet's going to be here a little longer, I think I'm going to be talking with her a little bit more about what happened with her and Mike..."

"You know about that, then?" Alan asked.

"Yeah. Kisara called me on the case after she talked with you, Barbara, and told me about what happened after Annie got so sick. From what Kisara has told me, it's going to be rough...I've been in contact with another doctor in Cleveland, and Dr. Carothers will be easy with her. However, it might be easier if she starts confronting it here." Alan looked a little worried.

Barbara sighed and placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Al, we knew she'd have to do this sometime. If she doesn't get it off of her chest now, she may not have another chance. And it'll only continue to come back to haunt her..."

"I know, I know...will this physically hurt her?" Alan asked.

"I don't think so...Kisara called me this morning to let me know what happened, and I've dealt with patients who've suffered physical trauma. I'll go slowly with her, and since Bastion's staying, that will make it easier. She wanted him to stay with her our first session, so I'd like to keep doing that if that's all right."

Barbara smiled. "That's perfectly fine. If he's helping her get through this, then I won't stand in the way. I just have some...concerns..." At this she looked a bit nervous, unsure of how to properly explain the situation.

"Okay, Barbara..." Karen said. "Go ahead, it's all right..." she said softly.

"Barb," Alan said, putting his arm around her.

"Barbara...whatever concerns you have, I want...I need to know," Karen said gently. "It may help so I can help her...and you as well...you, Alan, Bobby and Haylee are my other patients as well. It's not just one person I'm treating..."

Barbara sighed. "Well, you see, a about a week after Violet left for Duel Academy, Mike dropped out of school. Apparently, he moved to the city and started a gang, but those were just rumors. Still...Violet plans on showing Bastion around Cleveland. I'm worried what might happen if she runs into Mike again...especially if the rumors are true."

Karen took a deep breath. "You're good to keep track of that, Barbara. Just how was it in her and Mike's relationship? Was he possessive?"

"Oh my, it was so long ago. At first they seemed like a nice couple. He would walk her home and they would go to Loder's Shake Shoppe for ice cream some days. But...as time progressed, I noticed that Violet seemed to be contributing more to the relationship than he was. Maybe she failed to notice, or did and didn't want to believe it. One thing I believe I know for sure now, though, is that Mike really only loved her for...undesirable reasons. When he noticed her best friend was better-looking; well, you know the story."

"Hmmm..." Karen's dark eyes took on definite concern. "Then he is a mean one...The most we can do is make sure that she isn't alone when she goes somewhere. Men...if they can call themselves men... like that..."

"I call them..." Alan began and then closed his mouth wisely.

"I understand, Alan..." Karen said calmly. "Anyway...types like Mike are cowards and don't usually strike unless the girl is alone and he thinks he can get away with it. I would advise that Violet use the buddy system. She doesn't go into the city or go anywhere without someone. Mike would have a difficult time getting to her if she's with a friend. And Bastion...well if that person comes within 50 yards of Violet, my guess is that Bastion will attack first."

"All right, we understand. I just hope he doesn't do anything that he'll regret later. Violet doesn't really like violence, despite all of the pranking she does. It reminds her too much of that day, which is probably why 'beat' is a trigger-word, as you put it," Barbara sighed again.

"That's right...well, she is going to face it, and it won't be easy when she does...She's going to, in effect, have to walk through it again..."

"Oh, no..." Alan said. "It was hard on her..."

"I know, I know," Karen replied, gently. "It won't be easy, but she needs to fight it and it'll be all right in the end."

"It's for the best, we know. We've heard it before from the others...but this time it looks like you're actually getting through to her. Your method is a lot different."

"Thank you, Barbara. And you have my word that I will do my best, both of you."

"Thank you, Karen, for all you're doing," Alan said, not sure if he should hug her. She hugged them both and together they headed back in the room.

By now everyone had finished their subs, and the food had stimulated the dose of pain medication through Violet's blood stream. So, even through the light hum of chatter from the others, she slept in a light doze.

"I'm going to call it a day for her," Karen said softly, seeing the sleeping girl. "But I'm going to come in tomorrow..."

"Karen, you don't usually work on Sundays," Kisara said in surprise.

"I think Violet needs the time," Karen answered. "I'll come in tomorrow when she's a little more rested. Sweet dreams, Violet," she said. Karen left the room, knowing that difficulties lay ahead.

"I think I'll get my movie done quick," Annie said.

"Okay," Kisara answered, and then her throat began to hurt and burn.

Barbara noticed some pain flash over Kisara's face and frowned. "Kisara? Is something wrong??" she asked, concerned.

Kisara groaned softly and had to sit down as a wave of sheer exhaustion came over her. "Oh, no...no no no..." she groaned as her throat burned and hurt.

"Kisara?" the kids asked, worried. Hiro, wisely, went and called for a nurse.

Barbara had an idea of what might be wrong, and placed a hand on Kisara's forehead. "Oh my, Kisara. You have a slight fever," she stated, frowning.

"Oh, no," the white-blonde doctor moaned again. Hiro had returned with a nurse who had also brought Darla Truesdale. "Oh, no..."

"Are you trying to call the Kool-Aid Man?" Jaden wondered.

Darla also checked Kisara's forehead, feeling the warm intensity of a fever as well. "Oh, don't tell me you caught it, Kisara," she sighed, digging through her pocket for the ear thermometer and spare covers.

Syrus blinked. "Caught what, Mom?"

"Strep," Kisara groaned softly. "I should've known, darn it..."

"Strep?" Annie asked.

"Yeah...and I need to get home with some antibiotics...I'm contagious," Kisara groaned, closing her eyes and just feeling rotten.

"Contagious?" Bastion asked.

"You're not anymore, Bastion...you've been on meds for 24 hours," the doctor groaned softly.

"Dang..." Chazz said.

"Now just hang on a minute, Kisara. There are other things that cause fever, weakness, and sore throat. Your temperature does show that you have a fever of 100.5, but let me check your tonsils," explained Darla. She pulled out a wooden tongue-depressor as Kisara opened her mouth, the doctor doing a quick check-over of the tonsils. "Well, they do seem to be showing signs of strep...I'm going to get an instant strep test. Stay right here," she commanded. Kisara felt like she'd been hit by Obelisk the Tormentor's Fist of Fate...not that Seto would ever have used it on his beloved, but she had a feeling that it hurt like this.

About a minute or so later, Darla returned with the test, which was a cotton swab and solution in a tube. She quickly took a sample from the back of Kisara's throat, then dropped it in. It took a few seconds and began fizzling. "Well, that confirms it, Kisara. You caught strep."

"Oh...great..." she groaned softly. "I thought so..."

Alan looked at her in concern. "Kisara...you said you're contagious?"

"It's okay...you just have to take a separate limo home...I'll have to stay in bed for a day or two...Oh, no...oh, no..." Right now, Kisara's throat felt like it was going to explode.

Katai moved over to her. "You caught it from the kids...Oh, Kisara..."

"Katai, don't get too close...you don't want this..."

"Just go home and get better."

"You got it...now if the room will just stop moving," Kisara said, also feeling a little dizzy.

"Easy, Kisara. Want me to call Seto?" asked Darla, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," she managed, too exhausted to be enthusiastic.

"Man, Kisara...you got sick," Annie said.

"Risk of the job, Annie...it happens...I'll be okay..."

Darla nodded and left the room to go call the CEO of Kaiba Corp. "I hope you get better soon," Syrus stated, frowning.

"I'll be okay in a day or two," Kisara said softly.

"You'd better be," Annie said clearly.

Alan looked at his family and then at the doctor. "Annie's right. You go ahead and get home, all right? Don't worry, the world won't fall apart and these kids'll be okay without you until you're better..."

"Thanks, Alan..."

"We'll be sure to tell Violet when she wakes up," stated Syrus.

"Yes, you just rest and get better," Barbara added.

Darla came back into the room. "All right, they'll be here to pick you up in a few minutes, Kisara."

"Yay..." Kisara groaned. She must've ended up drifting off in the chair because the next thing she knew...

"Babe...Kisara...babe, wake up," Seto was saying. She opened her eyes and sure enough, he was there. "C'mon, let's get you home..." Kisara got her arms around his neck and he carried her out of the room.

"Bye, Kisara," everyone called after her.

"You sure know how to be dramatic, babe," Seto said as they headed out to the car.

"Ooh..." she moaned softly.

"You're burning up," he groaned in return. She stayed in the limo as he ran into a pharmacy to get a prescription filled and as he ran into a grocery store to get some ice pops. "Darla said that'd help your throat." She nodded, too tired to talk. Finally they were home and the kids were under strict orders not to disturb their mother. Kisara obediently took her medicine and fell into an exhausted sleep.

_Kisara will be fine, everyone. No midnight run to Domino General for her. Strep is a nasty bug and it hits fast and hard. For those of you who have had it, you'll know how it feels when it hits. Again, she will be fine, folks. And so, we close. Next time: Counseling Again. See you soon and please read and review! Thank you!_


	57. Counseling Again

Chapter LVII: Counseling Again

_Welcome to yet another chapter in the _Summer Love, Summer Fears _odyssey, everyone. Thank you again, faithful reviewers and readers, for reading and reviewing. We're glad to keep this tale going, especially since you like it so much! So here we are at Chapter 57!_

_Last time, the gang had a good time chatting and Annie revealed that she had a movie for everyone to watch. The group discussed past history, and then Kisara came down with strep. So now, another day is dawning, so what will happen next? Stay tuned!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the previous chapters to see what we do and don't own.**_

The next day, Kisara was resting comfortably at home and getting past the contagious stage of her strep throat. Four of the five Haverbrooks were also resting at the Kaiba mansion, and Karen Otani was making her way down to Violet Haverbrook and Bastion Misawa's hospital room. The young patients had been alone the previous night in order to avoid contagion from or to the other kids. Today was going to be a challenge and Karen had just called them to let them know that Violet was about to confront the worst of her memories with Mike. "Good morning, kids," she said cheerfully as she entered the room.

Bastion was just getting back in bed after a trip to the bathroom. "Good morning, Karen."

"Hi," mumbled Violet. She wasn't as sore as she had been, though if she moved too much the stitches would start hurting. Ever since the call from Karen, Violet had been quiet and her nervousness about the subject was obvious.

"It's okay, Violet," Karen soothed. "We're just going to start like we did before...You know what we will be talking about today, but we can just be relaxed for a bit...How's the hospital food?"

Violet took a deep breath and sighed, trying to calm herself down. "Well, it's better than everyone always says it is. But breakfast was good..."

"What did you have?"

"Today it was cream of wheat with honey and some toast. I haven't eaten that since I was Haylee's age." Violet seemed to brighten a little at the thought.

"I haven't either, darling," Bastion said easily to Violet. "When I was five, Gran came from England for a visit...she made porridge with treacle...that's what you know as cream of wheat with sugar here..."

"Sounds like you two have a lot in common...Violet, when you were Haylee's age, what was your favorite thing to eat when you were sick?" Karen asked.

"Well, whenever I was sick, Mom would make brownies or strawberry shortcake. If I had a sore throat, she'd make chocolate shakes instead." All of the Haverbrook women had a sweet tooth, usually getting some form of chocolate as presents for special occasions.

"Oh, yum! So if you were home right now, what would you have your mom make?"

"Brownies! But, Kisara said I had to lay off the sweets for a bit," the purple-headed girl replied, pouting.

"It'll be okay...as soon as she says you're able, I'll bet Kisara will have a tray of brownies brought to you and Bastion."

"Are you serious?" Bastion wondered.

"Deadly serious," the counselor answered.

Violet grinned happily, and would have pumped her fist if it didn't make her stitches stretch. "That's great! All of these restrictions are really getting to me."

"Yeah...it's no fun...when I was a kid, I had my appendix out...I got to miss a week of school but oh...I missed regular food," Karen admitted. They talked on for a few minutes more and then it was time. "Violet...this is where it's not going to be fun, okay? Bastion, go sit with her..." Bastion nodded and went to sit in Violet's bed with her.

Violet had relaxed a lot during the casual talk, and now tensed a little at the reminder of what was to come. She leaned into Bastion, taking his hand and turning her gaze to the bed sheets. "Okay..."

"It's all right, darling," Bastion soothed. "I'm here...Karen, please..."

"It's all right...Violet, this is going to scare you, but remember, you are not there now...what we're going to do is walk you through what happened that day...the good things and the bad things...Just remember, you are two years from that day, and that boy isn't here now...Your fiancé is here beside you and I'm here too."

Violet glanced up at Karen, then at Bastion before returning her gaze to the sheets. She took a deep breath or two, sighing. "I know...let's do it..."

Bastion slipped his hand into hers, willing his own strength into his love. He would help her slay the demons in her mind, and should one of those demons ever make a reappearance... 'He will regret it...' Bastion thought.

"Okay, Violet...how did your day start?" Karen asked.

"Well, it started just like any other Monday morning. I woke-up and went through my morning routine, scarfed down a quick breakfast, and barely made it in time for the bus. It was just Haylee, Mom, and myself, as usual. Dad was already at work and Bobby was living in Florida," she explained, simply and normally enough.

"And then what happened?"

"I always had ten minutes before first period, so Triana, Cherri, M-Mike and I would all meet in the cafeteria to talk. Triana is the one he..." She paused, right cheek already red from the mention of him and eyes burning with the onset of tears.

"The one he...what?" Karen asked softly. Bastion kept his arm around her, knowing that something was very wrong.

Violet placed a hand to her face, forming the words in her mind before forcing herself to say them. "S-She's the one h-he k-kissed...in the locker room..." Tears brimmed her eyes at the memory, though her hand hid them from view.

"It's all right," Karen said, getting tissues and handing the whole box to the kids. "Let's not focus on that just yet. So you had ten minutes before first period in the cafeteria? What happened there?"

Violet took a moment to calm herself down and wipe her eyes before speaking again. "Again, things were pretty normal. Triana, Cherri, and I talked and finished up some homework. M-Mike kissed me like he always would and kept his arm around me the whole time. Then, we had to go to classes, none of which I had with any of them. I always hated class..."

"Okay, what classes did you have that day and what happened in them?"

"Well, first was Spanish. That wasn't really all that bad. Some of the others paid attention to me, but only when I was helping them with their homework. Then, there was Math. I was completely ignored in that one, seated all the way in the back. Of course, I could still hear the insults and jokes from the popular kids up front. After that was gym class, which was great because I could focus on exercising instead of the others. It was hard when it came to pairing up, though. I was always the odd one out, somehow. Finally, before lunch, there was English. I liked that class, since we could read and write for fun a lot. But...a lot of the others made fun of me for it, always thinking I was too quiet and anti-social..." Violet hadn't started crying, but it pained her to relive those days.

Bastion held her close. "What did you like to write about?" Karen asked kindly.

"Anything I had my mind on. Sometimes it would be about an average, normal person and sometimes it would be about unicorn aliens on Mars," Violet joked, smiling a little.

"Unicorn aliens on Mars?" Karen asked with a smile. "That sounds great, actually. I like sci-fi...When I was younger, I watched Sliders, The X-Files, Stargate and even Battlestar Galactica...And for the record, you don't seem quiet and anti-social at all, does she, Bastion?"

"No...darling, the Violet I know is probably the most vibrant young woman at Duel Academy..."

Violet's smile widened a bit at that. "Well, it's hard to be joyful and excited when your classmates don't like you from the start..."

"I know what that's like..." Bastion said softly.

"I do, too..." Karen added. "People can be so cruel...but Violet, remember that you have people around you now that love you and won't abandon you. Now...what happened after English?"

Violet sighed again. "After that was lunch, my break from classes that never seemed to come soon enough. We met up again to sit at our usual table, and had a nice lunch because they were serving nachos that day. Mike and I shared the usual love talk and kissed a few times, everything going like it did every other day."

"How were the nachos?" Karen asked, trying to get Violet to focus a bit on something good.

Violet was surprised at how much she could remember the details of that day, down to how the nachos tasted. "Same as they always did. Crunchy, spicy, and cheesy."

"Good?"

"Yup! I love nachos."

"Good!" Karen said. "Glad school nachos have changed a bit. So what happened after lunch?"

"It was back to classes again. I sat by myself in Science, being the odd one out as usual when we were paired up for work. I didn't mind, I guess. I could focus on getting the work done so I wouldn't have homework. But the usual insults were whispered, and some paper projectiles were thrown. Then, there was Cooking, the one class I had some real enthusiasm for. But...even though I loved cooking, my group wasn't much of a help. They mostly talked with the other popular kids. Only one more class after that, History. It was okay, not as many insults and there were some other kids like me," she explained.

Karen nodded. "And then...what happened after History?"

"Usually, I'd go home. But that day I had a Drama club meeting and had to stay after. So, I planned on surprising him by going to see him after his basketball practice. That's when...when..." She stopped; this was the first hurdle.

Bastion gripped her hand. "It's okay, darling...I'm here..."

Karen moved her chair so she could take Violet's other hand. "Just walk through it...you're not really there now..."

"Well, I walked down the hallway, planning to wait by the locker room since there was still ten minutes of practice left. But, when I got there, I saw someone through the doors' windows. When I took a closer look, I saw...I saw M-Mike and...and T-Triana kiss...kissing...like they were together instead of Mike and me!" Violet couldn't stop herself from wailing out the last part a bit, burying her face into Bastion's chest. The tears fell freely now, body racked with light sobs. This part may not have been the worst, but it was what had led to the worst.

Bastion held her for a moment, gently patting her back so as not to harm her front where the stitches were. "It's all right...It's all right," he whispered, anguished.

Tears continued to stream down her cheeks as she clutched to his shirt, though the sobs had quieted. She was trying to calm herself down, knowing there was still more to tell.

"It's okay, Violet...take your time," Karen said softly.

Violet swallowed, pulling away from Bastion a little to wipe away the tears with a tissue. She blew her nose once, taking a few deep breaths. "I-I'm fine. We can k-keep going..."

"Okay," Karen said. "Just tell us what happened, then, as best you can."

"Well, I was shocked. Earlier we'd been eating lunch like we always did, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary between them. All I could do was run to the bathroom and cry for a while, until I finally calmed down. There was only one thing I wanted to know, and I knew that I had to confront him if I wanted an answer. So...even though it hurt to go back, I went to the gym hallway and waited. He was the last one out, like always, and that's when I...when I told him that I saw..."

Karen knew where it was going to get painful. "Violet...this next part, I know is bad, but...you need to confront it...Just breathe...and remember we're here."

And so, Violet took a deep breath and told of that fateful incident…

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

Violet stepped in front of Mike as he left the locker room, tear stains still on her face. "Violet?? What are you...?" He looked confused.

"Mike...why? I saw you earlier, with Triana. I saw how you...why, Mike?! Just tell me why!" she interrupted, fresh tears falling.

Mike's expressions hardened. "You saw that?" he asked, answering her question with one of his own. He'd also taken a step forward, though she was too distraught to notice.

"Yes, I saw! Now answer my question!! Why would you ruin our relationship like that?! Why would you disregard US??" Her voice had risen to frantic shouting, desperate for an answer. Then, a snap like thunder could be heard as the back of his hand came into harsh contact with her cheek. The force of the slap sent her falling to the ground, and her eyes went wide in pure shock.

"Don't tell me you're so blind, Violet! Couldn't you see? I never loved you. You were a stepping stone to reach Triana! Why would anyone ever love a crazy freak like you?! I was going to tell you this tomorrow, but I might as well say it now. There never was an 'us', Violet. You'll never be with anyone. Even though we never were anything, I'll say 'we're over'. See ya..." He walked right past her, leaving her alone in the hallway. Silent tears poured down her cheeks, a red mark clearly visible on one side of her face. 'There never was an "us"' kept ringing through her head, every time feeling like a piece of her heart was being torn out.

"Why? Am I really so weird?? That I can't even trust anyone to really love me or be my friend anymore?" she whispered, heart shattered to innumerable pieces.

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

Violet sobbed after she talked and Karen and Bastion both sat with her, letting her cry. "You are not weird...you are unique..." Bastion whispered. "Shhh..."

That single event had lasted less than two minutes, but had felt like an eternity. And now, years later, it was still causing her to breakdown like the event had only happened yesterday. She held onto him like a life preserver, crying her heart out at the memory that wouldn't leave her alone.

"Violet..." a voice from the present called. "Violet," Karen said again, "what happened to you after that moment?"

Violet was used to forcing her body under control, and quieted the sobs so that she could speak. "I-I stayed there for a-- a bit. But, I k-knew that Mom would b-be picking me up s-soon. So, I went o-out and waited for h-her, still crying. When s-she finally got there, I-I just ran to h-her. I couldn't explained w-what happened until the n-next day, and Mom l-let me miss school..."

Karen kept handing the poor girl tissues and also...to Bastion. He was crying tears of pain and anger at how the woman who would someday be his wife was treated by a monster who had acted like he had loved her. "That..."

"It's all right, Bastion," Karen said, soothing him as well. "You're hurting right along with her...and that's okay..."

Violet knew they each felt pain at seeing the other cry, but felt they were making some sort of unknown progress through this. "A-Anything else you want t-to know?" she managed to stutter out.

"Violet...how do you feel right now?" Karen asked gently.

She sniffed, trying to think how she really felt, deep down. "W-Well, I do feel s-sad. But...for some r-reason, I feel...good. H-Happy, even...if only a-a little..."

"Focus on that happy feeling, Violet...why do you feel happy?" Karen asked, smiling a bit now.

Good question. Why-no, HOW could she feel good? Happy, even?? By now, the tears had stopped, even though she still shivered every few moments. "I guess that I...that I'm glad to tell someone else. I mean...not having to hold it all in. And...it helps me realize just how wrong he was..."

"Exactly," Bastion said. "You did nothing wrong and he treated you badly. You are beautiful, funny and you are most certainly not a freak...I can name freaks and you certainly are not freakish."

"Listen to your fiancé, sweetie," Karen said.

"And listen to all the people around you now...You are sweet, and also a loyal friend," Bastion added gently.

Violet smiled, hugging Bastion happily. "Thanks, Bastion-baby...I know that now. Now that I met all of you. I'm nervous about going back, but...with you and my family there, I think I can do it..."

"I will be here with you, darling," Bastion said, keeping her close to him and smiling. He'd gotten control of himself and knew he had to be strong for her.

"Violet, will you two be okay alone here?" Karen asked. "I can send in a nurse, if you'd like..."

"Unless I pop a stitch, I think it's okay for us to be alone...thanks, Karen. For helping me," the teen girl replied, smiling. Her eyes were a bit red from crying, and the retelling had taken a lot out of her.

"No problem, sweetie, and I'll check in on you tomorrow. Bastion, you need to get back to bed, all right?"

"But Karen..."

"Bastion," Karen said in a firm voice, "You need your rest, too. Both of you need to rest and Vi needs the bed by herself, all right?"

Bastion yielded the point rather reluctantly and headed to his own bed. "Sorry, darling..." he said softly.

Violet sighed. "It's okay, Bastion-baby. I still have Tiffles." She reached under her pillow, pulling out the Watapon plushie. Hiro and Katai had brought it on their last visit for Violet, since she couldn't sleep with Bastion.

A nurse came in with another dose of pain medication as Karen left and soon the two sick kids were sound asleep.

_So, Violet and Bastion have made it through a storm. So what will happen now? Next time: Meet-up at Casa Kaiba! See you next time! Until then, read and review! Thank you!_


	58. Meetup at Casa Kaiba!

Chapter LVIII: Meet-up at Casa Kaiba

_Hello again, "Summer Love, Summer Fears" readers. Sorry this chapter was delayed…Peach was working on a project of her own and she promises that another chapter of "The Jedi League of Duelists" is coming. Anyway, we each thank you for your wonderful reviews. And so you all know, though the reviews for this story are sent to Peach Wookiee's account, they get forwarded to 15animefreak15 as soon as Peach gets them. So please keep sending your reviews and know that we both see them._

_Last time, while Kisara recovered from the contagion period of strep throat, Violet confronted the day that really messed with her head, the day her boyfriend broke her heart and hit her. She confronted it thanks to Counselor Karen Otani and Bastion staying with her. So what will happen with the group next? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. Seriously. We own our OCs, this version of the Yugi-verse and this storyline. Seriously. Thank you.**_

_**Warning: Child insanity, Sailor Moon references and references to Season 4 of the original YGO series. Also, we have gone with the dub on Bakura's name making Ryou the family name. You have been warned. Thank you.**_

On Monday, everyone decided to relax. Violet was still in pain and on a lot of medication, so everyone visited her and Bastion briefly. Seto suggested that his friends bring their kids over to the Kaiba compound so Haylee Haverbrook could have a whole bunch of kids to play with and so invited the Truesdales, Rhodes kids, Jaden, and Annie.

"HEY GUYS!" Noah shouted exuberantly as his friends arrived.

"Wow," Haylee said enviously. "You have lots of friends."

"Yeah!" Jenna said happily. "And we have lots of kids our age!"

"Huh?" Haylee asked as the swarm moved toward them.

"There are lots of six-year-olds," Noah groaned, laughing.

"Say hi to Haylee, everyone!" shouted Serena, grinning.

"I'm Jo-Jo! And these are my sisters, Angela and Gina," greeted Jo-Jo Wheeler, who looked every inch like his father in miniature.

"Gina," repeated the little girl who looked like a child version of her beautiful mother, smiling.

"I'm Marty," greeted Marty Kaiba, a cheerful raven-haired boy with blue eyes and freckles like his mother.

"I'm Sophie. These are my brothers, Yugi and Temmy, and that's my sister, Lily," greeted Sophie Muto, a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes, indicating her twin brothers and little sister.

"I'm Amane! That's my brother, Alex!!" cheered Amane Ryou who had fluffy white-blonde hair like her father's and bright blue eyes like her late mother's. She had her father's accent, but a very hyperactive streak to go with it.

The two Muto brothers grinned, looking like carbon copies of their father, right down to the hair. "Hi!" they said at the same time.

"I'm Yugi!"

"And I'm Temmy!"

Haylee looked at them. "You guys look the same..."

"I'm older than he is," little Yugi said.

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!" And then came a fight.

"Oh, great," a nine-year-old girl who looked a bit like Alexis Rhodes said. "I'm Angela Wheeler. Nice to meet you," she grinned, shaking Haylee's hand.

"Hello...I'm Alex Ryou...it's a pleasure to meet you, Haylee...Daddy said that your sister's being treated by Jamie and Jenna's mummy, Auntie Kisara. Is that right?" Alex asked, looking every bit like his father, including the dreamy chocolate-brown eyes.

Haylee nodded. "You sound like Sissa's...fiancé..."

"That's 'cause Alex's daddy is part British like Violet's boyfriend!" explained Serena.

Jamie blinked. "Ooh," he replied.

Meanwhile, Jo-Jo was trying his best to break up the fight between the Muto twins. "Hey, c'mon guys, stop it! Don't fight!!" They didn't seem to be listening. "All right, that's it! Jo-Jo Power!!" he yelled, grabbing the two by their collars.

Gina giggled happily and clapped her hands at the sight. "Jo-Jo go! Go go!!"

"Hey, Jo-Jo, could you use a hand?" yelled a six-year-old boy, running toward the melee. "TJ TAYLOR TO THE RESCUE!!" shouted the boy, who looked almost identical to his father, right down to the pointy hair and deep hazel eyes.

"TJ!!" yelled a six-year-old girl with auburn hair and hazel eyes, running up with him.

"I wouldn't, Mylie," Angela cautioned. "Oh, you got here late...Haylee, this is my cousin, Mylie and her brother, TJ..."

"Hi," Mylie said. "My full name's Mai Elizabeth, after my aunt and my grandma, but everybody calls me Mylie. So you're Haylee."

"Yeah..."

"We got to hang out with your sister! She is so cool...but she was real worried the night we met her..." Haylee looked puzzled. By this time, the fight had reached its natural conclusion, the girls were chatting up a storm and the other boys had figured out how to have a hose war.

"Whoa, what a rush!" TJ grunted, coming up from the pile of boys.

"Y'know, Temmy, I am the oldest," little Yugi said calmly.

"Oh, yeah...by five minutes..."

And then...the hose war commenced. "WATER ATTACK!!" the boys yelled at each other.

"Huh? Oh no! Ah!!" squealed Serena, getting hit by some excess spray. Jamie grinned broadly and laughed, joining the other boys.

"Hey! Let's get the girls!!" shouted Jo-Jo mischievously.

"Girls," repeated Gina from her spot on the ground.

"Yeah!" shouted Marty in agreement.

"Don't you guys dare!" replied Sophie warningly. Lily was hiding behind her sister, clutching Sophie's shirt.

"YAY!! Hose war!" exclaimed Amane, joining the boys.

"JO-JO! DO IT AND YOU DIE!" Angela shouted, bringing out the resemblance to her mother.

"Aw, come on, Angela! Don't be such a killjoy, cuz!" TJ grinned.

"Um...I don't want to get hosed," Mylie said shyly.

"Mylie..."

"Um...maybe we should do what Angela says," Noah opined. He was a little bit sweet on the oldest Wheeler girl and also didn't like getting her mad.

Serena crossed her arms over her chest and walked off, leaving Jamie with the others. Jo-Jo didn't notice her leave and simply stuck out his tongue at Angela. "Na na, you don't scare me, Angie!" he teased, then turned his hose on the girls. Gina squealed as she became soaked, and Marty laughed as some of the girls ran away.

"JO-JO WHEELER!!" screeched Sophie, showing her own mother's temper. A common scene was about to be re-enacted, where Teá yanked on Joey's ear, but this time Sophie and Jo-Jo would play their parents' roles. Jo-Jo, knowing what was coming, dropped the hose and ran away as Sophie started to chase him. Lily looked on the verge of tears, causing Amane to switch sides and comfort her.

Angela groaned softly. "It's okay, Lily...you know Jo-Jo can be a real dumb-dumb," she soothed, hugging the tiny girl along with Amane.

"He's like my big brother, Bobby," Haylee observed.

The girls, fortunately, were able to get off the field of battle because the next thing they knew... "You want a water battle? HERE WE COME!" Jaden Yuki shouted, flanked by Atticus and Chazz Rhodes.

"Oh, no!" Alex groaned.

"Oh, no!" TJ yelped.

"Oh, no!" the Muto twins yelped.

"OH YEAH!" Jaden grinned, shooting with the Ultra Soaker 5000, a powerful water gun.

Serena returned just then, smiling. "I turned off the hose so-OH MAN!!" She'd just gotten sprayed by Jaden's water gun, and bad vibes emanated from her like heat waves. Jamie sweat-dropped, having seen that look before. Jo-Jo and Sophie were about a yard away, the latter still chasing him.

Gina giggled and pointed at Serena. "Serena's wet," she stated happily.

"Uh-oh," muttered Marty. He might only be three, but he knew his cousin was not to be trifled with.

"Oh, crud," Noah groaned, feeling his twin's anger. "Guys...RUN!!"

"This is gonna be good," Angela said with a satisfied smile.

"Why?" Haylee wondered.

"Oh, you'll see..."

"Yeah...the last time Serena got mad...oh, boy," Jenna sighed.

Several anger marks appeared on Serena's head, fists clenching and unclenching. It took a lot to get her mad, and that last bit had done the job. "This. Means. War," she stated, voice deadly. For a ten-year old, she seemed to be intimidating Jaden's cavalry.

Atticus sweat-dropped. "Uh, Jaden, maybe we shouldn't have jumped in..." He had recognized the look and tone of voice, having seen it many times from his sister. It was never good...

"You shouldn't have..." Noah's eyes were very wide. "She gets really ugly when she's angry..."

Chazz, too, knew what an angry Alexis looked like and looked at Atticus. "I don't think we can Chatticus her up, can we?"

"Chatticus?" TJ asked.

"Oh, crud," Noah moaned. Serena's anger level was now, according to his twin senses, at the level of a volcano.

Alex, too, knew what was coming. "We are so bloody dead..."

"YOU THINK?" Yugi and Temmy yelped.

Serena let out a cross between a yell and an Indian war-whoop, charging at the three teenagers. If she got her hands on that water gun, the ending result would not be good at all. Atticus screamed close to the proximity of a girl, turned tail, and ran like the wind. "Noah! You're her twin; stop her!!" shouted Jamie fearfully.

By now, Sophie had successfully dragged a pained Jo-Jo back to the group by his ear. "So, what'd I miss?" she asked, calm again.

"I CAAAAAAAAAN'T!" Noah yelled, running for his life. All of his knowledge and he couldn't control his sister.

Jaden tried to be a peacemaker while the other boys ran like a Reaper of Cards was chasing them. "Uh, Serena...we were just having a little fun. I'm sorry I hit you..."

Serena screeched to a halt, mere inches away from the ever-so-innocent Jaden. She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest, anger marks still flooding her head. "Well, I guess I can forgive you," she muttered.

Jamie's jaw dropped. "Whaaa--??" he asked, dumb-founded.

"You can? Great!" Jaden grinned.

"Uh-oh," Noah groaned. "She's moving in for the kill..."

The instant Jaden let his guard down, Serena reached up and snatched the water gun from his hands. "Nope! Payback!!" she yelled, grinning maniacally. Within seconds Jaden had been sprayed from point-blank range, and from Serena's level...let's just say it hit a sensitive area.

Jo-Jo visibly winced, having been released from Sophie's grasp. "Ooh..."

And Jaden was on the ground..."OOOOOH!!"

"I think I'm glad I'm not involved," Annie said, eyes wide.

"Uh...do we need to go down there?" Alan Haverbrook asked.

"It'll be okay...this kind of stuff happens all the time," Kisara said calmly.

Yugi and the rest of the parents nodded in agreement. "We only intervene if we absolutely have to..."

Serena, her anger spent, dropped the water gun and squeezed excess water out of her hair. "Now then. Anyone else feel like spraying me?" she asked.

"NO!" all the kids shouted as one.

"That's what I thought. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go dry off and change." Serena had regained her usual calm, leaving the yard to go back into the house. All of the kids who'd been hit in the water battle headed in to dry off.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "She kind of reminds me of Violet," he muttered, grinning sheepishly.

Barbara sighed. "Believe it or not, she did do so to both Bobby and Al at one point in time," she replied.

Alan smiled sheepishly. "How Violet did it, I've never been able to figure out."

Syrus turned to smile at Annie. "So, Annie, want to work on the movie?"

Annie looked at Sy and grinned. "You bet! Mai, Kisara, do you two want to come and watch what I do?"

"Sure," Kisara said.

Mai, too, nodded. "It's probably good that I know..."

"Okay! So...uh, where do we go again?" Syrus asked, grinning sheepishly.

Seto walked the two kids and adult women down to a special computer room. "I had this designed...Annie, I'll bet you can guess," he said, looking at the girl.

"Oh, my gosh...WOW!" Annie's eyes were wide with happiness. "This is...the bridge of the Enterprise D!!"

Syrus blinked. "The, uh, what?"

"The ship from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sy! This is their bridge!" Annie was all excited. "How did you get this?" Annie asked Seto.

He shrugged. "I called the set designers from the studios..."

"He's such a fan boy," Kisara grinned.

Mai smiled. "You say that like it's a bad thing...I kind of married my fan boy."

"And your husband married his fan girl," Kisara countered.

Seto directed the two teens to sit in two plush chairs in front of computer consoles. "This is just a regular keyboard, Annie. You can use it and control what you see onscreen. Do you have your program?"

Annie nodded and put it in the drive he told her to. "Now what?"

"Just call up the program and enter what you want," he explained.

"All right...Thanks, Seto," she said, smiling. He headed back out of the room and the four people were alone. "Okay...I'm calling it up, now!"

The huge screen in front of Annie and Sy showed the different programs on her disk. "How many programs do you have?" Kisara asked, surprised.

"Um...about 100," Annie blushed. "Some are class projects and others are my own design..."

"Wow, Annie! I had no idea!!" Sy exclaimed in shock.

"That's devotion," Mai said, just plain shocked.

"Yeah...I guess I'm kind of obsessed with Sailor Moon and Star Trek...I hope I'm not a crazed fan girl," Annie groaned.

"Well, everyone's a fan of something, right? I don't see what the problem is if you're a girl who's a fan of something," Sy soothed.

"I...uh...just don't want to be one of those scary stalker fan girls, Sy," Annie said, blushing.

"Let's see what you've got, Annie," Kisara invited.

"Yeah...let's see how you rewrote history," Mai added.

"Okay..." Annie said nervously. "Here we go...this is a transformation scene first..."

It was similar to when Serena transformed into Sailor Moon, but with some modifications. "Oh, my!" Kisara said.

"Wow, Annie...how'd you do that??"

Annie looked at Sy and said, "I just used Kisara in place of Sailor Moon and gave her holographic clone the modified sailor suit and short boots...And I left off the meatball head hairdo...That doesn't seem like you, Kisara," Annie said softly.

"Nah. I like my hair loose...this is good, Annie!"

"Yeah! Show us the next part, Annie!!" replied Syrus excitedly.

Annie did. "This scene took me a couple of months to figure out with all the running and Sailor Blue taking all those monsters that Dartz sent down. She used Blue Eyes attacks with her Blue Eyes wand to take it down..."

"Which ones?" Mai asked, looking a little nervous.

"White Lightning and Neutron Blast..."

"From a little wand?" Kisara asked.

Annie nodded. They watched and came to the final battle where each of the girls transformed into Dragon Scouts. "See... Teá is Sailor Water Dragon, Ishizu is Sailor Fire Dragon, Serenity is Sailor Red Eyes, Rebecca is Sailor Mini Blue Eyes, and Mai, you're Sailor Harpy's Dragon!"

"I like the way you dressed me," Mai said, impressed.

"You had me stop the Orichalcos from taking Mai and Joey?" Kisara asked in shock.

Annie nodded again. "The power of love and friendship conquers all," she concluded.

"Teá's gonna love that!" Mai commented.

"Friendship girl, now and forever," Kisara grinned.

"Sy, the life flower scene is coming up!" Annie said happily. And so they watched as Dartz, Chris and Ironheart summoned the Life Flower of Atlantis that Sy had drawn to save Sailor Blue Eyes and bring her back from the dead. Seto, in the fairytale tradition, had to kiss her after kissing the life flower.

Syrus' mouth was agape, stunned by how great the movie was. "Wow...Annie, it...it's amazing," he managed.

"Sy, I couldn't have done it without you," she smiled. "You helped me finish it..." She moved over and kissed him on the cheek.

Kisara was smiling and Mai was crying and clapping at the same time. "Annie, that was...how it should've been...except for the Kisara dying part. But she came back, so that's okay..."

Annie smiled, saving her work. "Then...it's okay?"

"You bet," Mai answered and Kisara nodded. "It's good."

"The others are gonna love it, Annie. When do you plan on showing it to everyone?" Syrus asked, smiling.

"Tomorrow at the hospital," Annie answered. "I think Violet and Bastion should see it and it might cheer them up..."

He nodded. "Yeah. Violet was kind of complaining about having nothing to do when we visited her. She's used to running around and having fun, it's kind of weird without her being her usual self."

"Yeah," Annie sighed, remembering just how bummed out her best friend was. "She hated just sitting still in class, but managed to. This just sucks for her."

"Well, tell you what," Kisara said. "You invite everyone to the premiere and then we can have a fun movie night Violet won't forget...If you two want," she added, giving a look to Mai, "we'll even come in cosplay."

"Can you...do that...that quick?" Annie asked. Kisara and Mai nodded.

Syrus grinned. "I think that would work. What do you think, Annie? Want to do it??"

Annie was smiling and nodded. "Yeah! I have the designs for the costumes!"

She handed them to Kisara who grinned. "This'll work out just great!"

"This is better than I imagined!" the teen girl squealed. 'If I died right now, things would almost be perfect,' she thought, looking quietly at her boyfriend.

He noticed the look in her eyes, but kept the same simple, joyful expression on his face. 'Don't worry, Annie. Soon,' he thought, thinking of how he'd show her he truly loved her.

The group of four headed out of the room. "Are you four done?" Seto Kaiba asked when they left.

"Honey, you'll have to see what she did," Kisara answered.

"It's good?" he asked.

Kisara nodded. "And be prepared to be the Blue Eyes Knight...We'll fix your Kaibaman costume, honey."

"Babe," he said, flushing slightly.

Syrus coughed, barely covering the laugh that escaped his throat. "Er, uh, you have a Kaibaman costume...?" he asked.

"Yes," Seto answered with a sidelong glance at his wife of almost eleven years. "She and Mokuba made me get one..."

"And you look great in it," Kisara grinned.

Mai snickered. "She also made sure Joey got a Red Eyes Knight costume...it was when we all took Mokuba trick-or-treating..."

"Hey, maybe Joey could wear that costume. Even if there's no Red Eyes Knight in the movie," offered Syrus.

"Ooh...I like how you think, hon," Mai complimented the teen boy. "Annie, this one's a keeper."

"I know," Annie answered. Syrus blushed, turning his gaze to his shoes. "Sy, remember how I said I couldn't do any better than you?" Annie asked as the group of five walked toward the outside.

"Uh, yeah," he replied, looking up at her.

"I meant it...you're the best..."

Seto quietly took Kisara's hand as they watched the scene and Mai smiled.

"Thanks, Annie. I know you're the best I could ever do," Syrus stated, smiling and taking her hand. 'More like the best I'd ever have a chance with. There isn't anyone I'd rather be with, but I doubt they'd want to be with me even if I didn't have Annie...' he thought.

And the group walked out to the yard where the kids and other teens ambushed them with confetti.

_And so this chapter closes. It seems Annie's movie has the seal of approval from Kisara and Mai. Next time, the fun at the mansion continues with "A Dog Pile and Yet Another Duel!" See you next time, and until then, please read and review! Thank you!_


	59. A Dog Pile and Yet Another Duel!

Chapter LVIX: A Dog Pile and Yet Another Duel!

_Hello again, everyone! We're glad you enjoyed the previous chapter and the children of the original gang. Thanks again for your reviews and staying with this tale. Anyway, it's been two days, so here's another chapter! Now, it seems we have some eagle-eyed reviewers. Yes, the Sailor Blue Eyes movie's final scenes are strongly based off of "Sailor Moon R: The Promise of the Rose." Peach has Sailor Moon on the brain, and so does Annie. Secondly, we're sorry if we were less than clear, but Jo-Jo Wheeler goes by his nickname instead of his legal name, Joseph Aaron Wheeler, Junior. Thanks for being curious, folks!_

_Last time, most of the GX teens came to the Kaiba mansion and joined Haylee Haverbrook and the kids of Yugi's original crew in a huge play date. There was mayhem and some injury, but nothing serious. Annie got the chance to work on her movie with Sy helping her and gained Kisara and Mai's approval for showing the movie. So now we rejoin the group of kids outside._

_**Disclaimer: You know what we own and don't own. Thanks.**_

_**Warning: Mild bathroom humor, rampant Sailor Moon references, comical nudity and child insanity.**_

The ones who had gotten wet were in a fresh change of clothes, and any grudges from the earlier mishap had dissipated. "Ha-ha, we got you!" exclaimed Jamie happily.

"We rock!" Jaden yelled with enthusiasm. Annie cracked up as did Syrus. The three adults with them also cracked up.

"Jo-Jo, did you think of this and get Mommy?" Mai asked her son. "And did you make Sophie mad again?"

Jo-Jo grinned proudly, arms on his hips with his chest thrust out. "Yup! I thought of it, Mama!!" However, he pouted when she mentioned Sophie, red ear explaining all.

"And yes, he did," replied Sophie for him, smiling innocently.

"You had that coming, little brother," Angela sighed.

"Oh, he did, did he?" Mai asked her eldest daughter.

"Yup...but Jaden soaked Serena..."

"Yeah...I did," Jaden groaned. "But I think I got off easy..."

Serena, in spite of her gray eyes and fluffy raven hair, looked like a female miniature version of her father; arms crossed over her chest with a serious look on her face. "I don't like getting wet...unless it's in the bathtub," she stated simply.

"We all know that, Serena," Noah groaned. "I should've warned you guys...But Jaden, Chazz, Atticus...you guys are all lucky she calmed down when she did...She can give major atomic wedgies...There was a guy at school who soaked her, and...he really regretted it..."

Syrus elbowed Annie lightly, grinning. "Doesn't that sound familiar?" he asked. He was referring to when Violet had done much the same thing because someone messed with Bastion.

"Oh, yeah," Annie said, sweat-dropping. Said idiot had ended up in Miss Fontaine's nurse's office, needing some major attention.

"Do I want to know?" Mai asked, overhearing, along with Kisara.

"Uh..." Annie blushed. "Uh..." She collected herself again. "This guy made fun of Bastion and Violet, most unfortunately for the guy, is an expert at atomic wedgies..."

"He had to go to Miss Fontaine's office and everything, she's the nurse," Sy added, sweat-dropping. Violet may not have liked fighting, but all other violence was a-okay with her. Including atomic wedgies.

"She's a good nurse. Kisara was the one who found her, actually," Seto said. "And she's a good duelist. Mai dueled her..."

"I beat her, but not by much," Mai grinned.

"Mom still rules," Angela said proudly.

"Dad does, too!" shouted Jo-Jo, grinning. Gina simply giggled at the pair's antics from her spot on the grass.

"Yeah, but OUR dad's the King of Games!" replied Sophie proudly. She and Jo-Jo shared a glare at each other.

"Just remember, Jo-Jo, that Yugi's your uncle," Mai pointed out.

"YEAH!" Little Yugi and Temmy yelled, tackling Jo-Jo. Within seconds, there was a dog pile of little kids on top of Joseph Aaron Wheeler, Junior.

"Hey! C'mon, guys, I can't breathe!!" he yelled, only one hand visible from underneath the pile. Amane was on top of the pile like a mountaineer who's scaled the Himalayas.

"Amane!" Alex exclaimed, pulling himself up to his sister. "If you're at the top of the mountain, I'm joining you! I want to be Sir Edmund Hillary!"

"Who's that??" asked Jo-Jo, voice muffled.

"Uh...I forgot. Who is he again, bro?" asked Amane, tugging on a strand of his white hair playfully.

"The man who first climbed Mount Everest...Remember, Daddy read us the story last evening?" Alex asked.

"How does he remember all that stuff?" Jenna asked from somewhere in the pile.

"He's Uncle Bakura's son, that's why," Mylie Taylor said, also somewhat muffled.

Amane blinked, the memory finally registering a few seconds later. "Oh yeah! But what happens if Lady Hillary pushes Sir Hillary off the mountain?" she asked, grinning mischievously. Amane then shoved him just enough so that he'd roll down the pile of kids. Lily was the only one not in the pile; even Gina was somewhere in there. Lily just stood nearby, her back to the group as she played with the grass.

Suddenly, there was an exclamation of "OH GROSS!" from somewhere in the pile. The kids moved away from each other.

"Somebody farted!" Angela groaned.

"It was probably Jo-Jo," TJ said.

"The smelter is the dealter!" Temmy shouted.

Jo-Jo stood, an indignant frown on his face. "Well, whoever it was, it wasn't me!" he retorted.

"Sure it wasn't. Just like it wasn't the last dozen times," mumbled Sophie, rolling her eyes. Now that Sophie was out of the pile, Lily ran over and hid behind her again.

Angela looked around. "This time, I think it was a double. Jo-Jo and TJ did eat bean burritos today..."

"How do we know it wasn't you, Angela?" TJ challenged.

"Want me to give you five good reasons why it's you and my brother? One, two, three, four, FIVE!" she growled, making a fist.

"Okay, okay, we did it!" TJ whimpered at his cousin. "Jo-Jo...eeek..."

"TJ! Man, how can you let a GIRL scare you?!" asked Jo-Jo.

Within seconds Sophie's hand was once more clamped onto his ear. "You were saying, Joseph?" she growled, glaring daggers at him.

He sweat-dropped, wincing as she gave his already sore ear a light tug. "Uh, uh, except you, Sophie..."

Angela grinned. "Well, Dad gets afraid of Mom..."

"No, sweetie, he just knows when Mommy's right," Mai grinned back.

"Mama scares daddy sometimes," mumbled Lily, talking for the first time that afternoon. She still clung to her big sister's shirt, peeking out at the others from behind her. It seemed Lily had gotten her dad's shy side full-force, while the others had been unaffected.

"Yeah," little Yugi said. "But not too bad. And I think they're joking most of the time."

"Yeah, they joke around. Mom...'scares' Dad, sometimes, too," Jenna added. "It's okay, Lily..."

Lily blushed at the attention, ducking back behind her sister. Sophie sighed and gave a shrug. "It's hopeless trying to open her up. Maybe she'll grow out of it as she gets older. Until then...I'm gonna be clung to," she joked, smiling.

"I did that with Sissa sometimes," Haylee admitted and then sighed.

Alan held out his arms to his little girl and she ran to him. "DADDY!"

Barbara smiled as her husband lifted Haylee into her arms. "Did you have fun playing with the other kids, sweetie?"

"Yeah! These guys are fun, Mommy! Can we play some more later?"

The parents looked at each other. "If it's okay with your mom, and dad, you can, Haylee," Kisara said.

"Of course we're okay with it. We're glad that she has someone to play with while we're here so she's not bored. When our kids get bored, they start getting into mischief," explained Barbara, sighing.

"Well, then, as long as you're all here, you can come over and play," Seto said. The kids took a long break and headed to the media room for snacks and in the late afternoon, the other sets of parents arrived to pick up their kids.

Yugi Muto, Senior was tackled by his twin boys and his little girls. "Hey, kids, did you have fun?"

"YEAH!" three voices said enthusiastically.

"Lily, what about you?" Yugi asked, kneeling at Lily's level.

Lily looked at her father with matching eyes; large and amethyst in color. "Yeah, Daddy...can I come back to play?" she asked quietly, hugging him.

"Of course, sweetie...you know Seto and Kisara like having you and your brothers and sister here," Yugi smiled, holding her close. She looked a lot like Tea, except for the eyes and he loved that. "How did these three behave, Kisara?" he asked.

"As usual, they were good, had a little mayhem with their cousins, but they didn't kill anyone," Kisara grinned.

"Yugi, you worry too much," Mai said, smiling. "You should worry about our three." Jo-Jo at the moment was tackle-hugging his father.

"Hey, Dad! We had a hose war and got all the girls wet!!" Jo-Jo exclaimed excitedly, nearly bowling his father over. The two could have been identical twins had it not been for the age gap.

Mai sighed, laughing. "It was a battle worthy of you and Tristan about 13 years ago," she grinned when she was sure she had her husband's attention.

Joey grinned and picked up his son, ruffling his hair. "That's my boy! Did Sophie give you any trouble?" he asked.

"Yeah...she pulled my ear! TWICE!!" Jo-Jo replied, exasperatingly. Sophie merely stuck out her tongue at him and grinned.

"Looks like our kids have the same habits as us," stated Tea, smiling.

Joey sweat-dropped. "Yeah, my ear won't ever feel the same again after all those pulls..."

Kisara grinned, laughing. "Man, I wish I'd known you guys sooner...Oh, everybody, Annie has an announcement! Go on..."

Everybody turned and looked at Annie. She blushed. "Sy...hold my hand..." Syrus took her hand, squeezing it lightly to show he was right there by her side supporting her. And so, she found confidence. "Everyone, tomorrow night at Domino Children's Hospital, I will be holding the premiere of 'Sailor Blue Eyes: Love Conquers The Darkness.' As you adults are in the movie, I'd be honored if you'd come and see the film. Thank you!" Annie bowed politely.

"So are you guys in?" Kisara asked. Everyone nodded.

Syrus smiled. "See? That wasn't so hard...they're gonna love it, Annie," he whispered encouragingly.

"I hope so..."

"Joey, hon, I'm a movie star!" Mai said happily.

"Oh! One other thing Annie didn't mention...Girls, guys, we're doing cosplay!" Kisara said.

"COSPLAY?!"

Kisara smiled at the exclamations of her friends. "Yup. Ladies, we are the Sailor Dragon Scouts. Guys...you're pulling out your knight costumes..."

Tea grinned. "Oh, yay! I haven't done cosplay in years!! Yugi's going to look so cute in his Dark Magician Knight costume," she stated, grinning.

Joey sweat-dropped. "Does this mean I have to dig out my Red Eyes Knight costume, Mai?"

"Yes, Joey...and you're going to love my Sailor Harpy's Dragon costume. Gals, we have to be fitted for this, don't we, Kisara?" Kisara nodded and the gals huddled together.

"I have to drag my Dark Magician Knight costume out of the closet..." Yugi groaned.

"You think that's bad? I have to bring out my Kaibaman costume," Seto groaned.

"I guess I never dueled much," Bakura said. "I have a knight's costume, however, based on my obvious heritage. I hope none of you mind a Knight of the Realm..."

"Of course not, Bakura," Yugi grinned.

"Yeah, it'll be cool seeing a real suit of armor!" added Joey, grinning.

Amane squealed happily and tackle-hugged her father. "You mean you're going to wear the big one with the sword and feather helmet, Daddy??"

"Yes, do wear that, Daddy. Please?" Alex begged, joining his sister.

"Oh, all right, you two...I haven't worn that costume since...your mother and I dated." The Ryou twins went quiet for a moment along with their father. The two children hadn't known their mother, except through photos. She had died when the twins were six months old, and Bakura had raised them alone and done it very well. Amane was only quiet when her mother was mentioned, having gotten her abnormal hyper-activity from her. She quickly buried her face into her father's sweater, wishing she could have known the woman they called "mother."

Bakura held his daughter close, and Alex hugged his sister. "It's all right, Amane. Mummy just watches over us. She's our angel, remember?"

"That's right, Alex, she is, along with your auntie," Bakura said gently. "And I know for a fact how much she loved you both..."

This might've been one of those tender television moments, complete with swelling emotional music. However... "BECCA! Catch him!" Mokuba and Rebecca Kaiba were now running after little Marty who'd decided now was a perfect time to go streaking.

Marty blew a raspberry at his parents, running through the room and out one of the many doorways. Rebecca came to a halt in the middle of the room, doubled over and gasping for air. "You...catch...him...MOKUBA!!" she yelled back angrily.

Mokuba dove for his naked son. "Mokuba Arthur Kaiba, you get back here!"

"Should we help?" Seto asked Kisara softly.

"What do you think?" And soon, the parents and teens were trying to catch the nude toddler.

Everyone tried to catch the toddler, but not even Joey or Jaden or Seto could do it. Lily had been standing in a corner the whole time, watching the scene unfold. She now stepped in front of Marty as he was about to run past. "Marty..."she stated quietly. He stopped in his tracks, blushing a little. Marty had always had a crush on Lily, and she knew it.

"Y-Yeah, Lily?" he asked.

"I. Got. You," she stated simply, grabbing his arm.

Annie came close to the scene. "Good going, Lily!" she said gently. "We shy ones are always the ones people least expect to save the day!"

Mokuba came over and picked up his son. "Marty, you are getting your clothes on! Thanks, Lil...you were a lifesaver!"

Lily blushed, quickly running to hide behind her father's legs. Like him, she liked helping others, but was usually too shy when it came to the thanks part. Marty pouted. "Aw..."

"Our Lily's a hero," Yugi said, hefting his youngest in his arms. "And you're right, Annie...those of us who seem a bit shy are the ones that people least expect to save the day...I was shy, too..."

"Yeah," Annie said. "Sy's been shy, but...he's a hero, too..."

Lily wrapped her arms around Yugi's neck comfortably. "I am?" asked Syrus, blinking.

Annie nodded. "Yeah, you are...Yugi, he faced the Paradox brothers and Weevil Underwood's cousin, Missy."

"He did?"

"Yeah, and he won!"

Syrus blushed, grinning sheepishly. "Well, uh, I had Jaden's help with the Paradox brothers..."

"Sy, I couldn't have taken them on alone!" Jaden pointed out. "You did great."

"Yeah, you did," Zane added. "You two had to duel together..."

Yugi stepped over to Joey, who had his little Gina around his neck, as Lily hung around Yugi's neck. "Hey, Joey...does this sound familiar at all?"

Joey grinned. "You bet it does, Yuge! We dueled 'em together back in Duelist Kingdom!!" he replied.

Gina giggled and waved her arms. "Duel!" she repeated. Lily blinked at the other four-year-old's outgoing personality.

"I meant that you kind of kicked yourself, when in fact you were and still are a good duelist," Yugi said. "Couldn't have won without you, bro."

Meanwhile, Annie smiled. "Sy...you beat Missy well and got into Ra Yellow!"

"Oh yeah...thanks, Yuge!" Joey grinned and slapped his best friend on the back.

Syrus smiled. "Y-You really think I beat her well, Annie?"

"Yeah, I do," Annie said. "I was cheering for you in the seats. You took her down and she's so full of herself...but at least she isn't a cheater like her cousin..."

"You know about that?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah...we all know about that!" Jaden answered. "He tossed your Exodia cards! That was wrong..."

"Yeah, right into the Pacific!" Chazz said, looking like a storm cloud.

Atticus, not thinking as usual, prodded his brother. "Hey, bro, didn't you throw Bastion's deck into the ocean?" he asked. The other teens went quiet, some sweat-dropping.

"Yeah, and I know what a major jerk I was then, big bro," Chazz said shamefacedly. "I'm glad those days of my life are over..."

"Us, too, Chazz," Jaden grinned. "Otherwise, Violet would kill you!"

"Yeah...she would," Annie said, eyes wide.

"She almost did that time you threw his cards in the ocean and we found out it was you. If you hadn't left the island, you might have been in trouble," explained Syrus, grinning sheepishly.

"She...knew?" Chazz asked, his voice raising an octave.

"Oh, yeah...she went storming around the day after you left. After I dueled the monkey...Wheeler seems pretty nice..."

"Wheeler the monkey?" Kisara asked, looking at Joey and Seto, who both grinned sheepishly.

Joey sighed. "Hey, Tristan's the one who got turned into a monkey, remember?" he replied defensively.

Syrus' jaw dropped. "He did?!"

"That's not what I'm thinking about, Joey..." Kisara had a dangerous look in her eyes. "Seto James Kaiba...is there a reason that there is a monkey named Wheeler at a lab?"

"Babe, I can explain...we had 'Name that Monkey' contest at the office. Joey thought it was funny..."

"Is that true, Joey?" Kisara asked.

Joey frowned, and would have crossed his arms over his chest had he not been holding Gina. "Yeah...I didn't think it'd actually get picked, though," he grumbled.

Gina giggled and grabbed Joey's nose. "Monkey-daddy, monkey-daddy!" she cheered happily.

Kisara stood down. "Well... that does show that your rivalry cooled down to the point you could joke about it."

"Yeah," Mai added. "I remember when I thought these two would kill each other..."

"Some fan girls thought they...uh...liked each other," Annie said. "Oh, crud, I did it again..." Her face went flame red.

Joey and Seto met glances, and Joey couldn't help but laugh. Not at Annie for bringing up the subject, but just at the outrageousness of it all. "That's great! I can't believe someone would actually think somethin' like that!! Me and Seto?! We're both straight as a...a..." He was at a loss for the right word.

Seto grinned. "Straight as the Living Arrow."

Yugi cracked up at that one. "How did I know you were going to say that?"

Joey grinned as well. "Figures he'd say that! Brings back the memories, doesn't it?"

Seto grinned. "Our duels...those were absolutely the craziest days I've ever known..."

"We've seen some weird duels, too. Though, most of them happened to Jaden," explained Syrus.

Jaden sighed. "Yeah...but everybody got affected. The incident in the abandoned dorms...Kagemoru...the Shadow Riders...Sartorius...Aster...Everything affected everybody else..."

"That happened in some of our duels, too, Jaden. Remember the one in virtual reality against Noah?" replied Tea.

"Aunt Tea, I'm right here," Noah pointed out. "That wasn't my finest hour..."

"But you came back in the end, Noah," Yugi said, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Yeah, kiddo," Seto added, picking up his eldest son. "You showed us you were a good kid."

Mokuba too, ruffled his nephew's hair. "Like I said back then, we're family..."

"Yeah...You're right, though, Aunt Tea, that was weird."

"Jaden, everything turned out right in the end, didn't it? That's what truly matters. Even in that duel against Noah back when he was confused and alone, we were all returned to normal after Yugi won," Tea explained, trying to cheer him up.

"Yeah...but I'm worried about what might come next...What if the people around me get hurt? What if..."

Seto cut him off. "Jaden, didn't you have a talk with Kaibaman?"

Jaden looked Seto straight in the eyes. "How did you...how did you know, Seto? Chazz, Sy and Chumley knew, but they didn't say anything!"

"Kaibaman and I have chats periodically and he told me about you...He also told me that you seemed to think you'd be okay if you lost a duel once in a while."

"Jaden, did losing to me have any bad effects?" Zane asked.

"No, but you're not some psycho bad guy!"

"Jaden, you're a great duelist. Just do your best, and...if anything ever happens, we won't blame you for it," stated Syrus encouragingly.

"But what if..?"

"Jaden," Yugi said calmly, "stop the what if game. It only makes you lose your joy of the game. That happened to me..."

Joey sighed. "If only there weren't people who always had to cause trouble. But just remember that duels can still be fun, like a duel with your friend!" he explained, grinning.

"Oh, yeah..." Jaden smiled suddenly. "I remember dueling Zane, Sy, Chumley, Lex, Bastion, Chazz..."

"You just had to bring those up, didn't you, slacker?"

"And Violet...we tied! Someday, I want to duel Annie..."

"How about now?" Annie challenged.

Syrus' eyes widened. "N-Now? But, Annie, what if..?" he remembered Kisara's warning. The last thing they needed was a third friend in the hospital.

"Sy, I'm okay," Annie said calmly.

Kisara raised an eyebrow. "I'll allow this duel on one condition...If I see any sign of trouble with you, Miss Hanson, the duel ends no matter the result. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Annie and Jaden said.

"You sure, Annie?"

"Yup...Jay...you make it fun to duel," she grinned. "Right, Alexis?"

Alexis smiled. "Yeah. Even if you lose, you still feel great afterwards," she replied.

Syrus sighed. "Well, all right, Annie..."

And so began the showdown between the Moon Kingdom and the Neo-Spacians. Jaden knew he'd have to make this quick. Annie also had a feeling she'd have to make this quick. Annie drew as Jaden drew. "You go first, Jaden," she grinned.

"You got it! I play Elemental Hero Burstinatrix (1200 ATK/800 DEF) in attack mode!" And the pretty fire heroine appeared on the field. "Your move, Annie!"

Annie looked at her hand. 'Oh, nuts! Just monsters!' "I summon Chibi Chibi (200/200) in attack mode!" Annie had had no choice but to summon the little monster in attack mode, because her special ability would do something to Jaden's life points when she was destroyed.

Chibi Chibi was a little tiny girl with dark pink hair and dressed in a little sailor suit. "Sorry, Annie! Burstinatrix, attack!" Chibi Chibi was blown off the field.

Annie's life points dropped to 3000 and then... "What?!" Jaden yelped. "My life points dropped to 3800."

Annie blushed. "Well, Chibi Chibi's special ability is that when she's destroyed in battle, she'll take 200 points from my opponent if she was in attack mode. And that can make all the different in a duel."

"But you lost 1000 points!"

"Yeah…but you never know; the points you lose early on may not matter later. And when she's destroyed, I can and now put one monster in defense and end my turn," Annie said.

"She isn't drawing well this game," Zane commented quietly.

"Well, uh, didn't Chazz once say that dueling is 99 skill and 1 luck?" asked Syrus.

"You remember what I said?" Chazz asked in shock.

Sy blushed a little and sweat-dropped, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, those kinds of things stick out for me..."

"Wow..." Chazz said, turning his attention back to the duel. "Too bad the one percent luck can be pretty important..."

"I play Elemental Hero Avian and then I use Polymerization to fuse him and Burstinatrix to summon Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

"Oh, crud..." Annie said, eyes wide.

"Attack Annie's facedown monster!" Flame Wingman attacked, flipping Annie's monster, Rei, the Guardian of Mars. Rei had 1200 attack points and so when the Elemental Hero attacked, Annie lost 1200 life points, dropping her to 1800, thanks to Wingman's special ability.

"C'mon, Annie, don't give up," the girls and women yelled.

"You heard 'em, Annie! Let's give 'em a show!" Jaden grinned.

"Okay!" Annie answered, drawing. 'YES!' she cheered in her head. "I summon Amara, the Guardian of Uranus (1200/ 900)! And I play one card facedown."

"Hey, Amara only has 1200 attack points," Yugi noted.

"She's got something planned," Zane observed.

"Go Annie!" cheered Syrus excitedly.

Hearing Sy, Annie smiled. "All right, Annie...you ready?"

"Bring it on, Jay!"

"Flame Wingman, attack!"

"You triggered my trap card! I use 'Uranus World Shaking' which brings Amara's attack up to 2200, more than enough to take Wingman down!" Amara, a woman with short blonde hair, attacked with a ringed ball of energy, taking Flame Wingman down with a boom.

Jaden's life points dropped to 3700. "Nice, Annie!" Jaden looked through his cards. "Now I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman (800/1200) in attack mode. And since he's the only one on the field, I draw two cards and equip him with Bubble Blaster, which brings his attack up to 1600!"

"Since I've already done my attack, Amara's weaker than Bubbleman!" Annie groaned. Amara was gone in a shower of bubbles and Annie's life points dropped to 1400.

"And now I use 'O-Over Soul' to summon Elemental Hero Wroughtweiler (800/1200)! And then I lay one card face-down! And that's it for me, Annie," he grinned.

Annie took a deep breath and drew. 'Another monster! Darn it! I need a spell card!' "I summon Ami, the Guardian of Mercury in attack mode (1200/800)! Ami, attack Wroughtweiler with Mercury Bubbles Blast!" she shouted, hoping Jay just had a spell card.

"Annie, you triggered my trap! I activate Negate Attack! That means Ami can't attack and your battle phase is over! And since Bubbleman still has Bubble Blaster, he can take Ami down!" Bubbleman fired and Ami was destroyed in a shower of bubbles. Annie's life points dropped to 1000. "And now I sacrifice both Bubbleman and Wroughtweiler to summon Elemental Hero Neos!" Jaden yelled triumphantly.

"Oh, crud..." Annie said. She drew and nothing was strong enough. "I summon Usagi, the Cosmic Guardian of Pure Hearts (1000/800)!" This monster was like the Angelic Guardian monster, but significantly weaker. She had 1000 points and Annie had no magic cards to help her. "I'd rather go out fighting."

Jaden smiled in understanding. "It's okay, Annie...Take her down, Neos..." And with that, the duel was over and Annie's points went to zero.

"Aw, sorry you lost, Annie. But that was still an awesome duel!" exclaimed Syrus, hugging her.

Annie kissed him. "Thanks, Sy..."

"That was a good game..." Jaden said coming up to her. "You okay, Annie?"

She looked a bit tired. "Yeah, but I think I need a rest."

Kisara moved to check her. "You do...sit down and rest for a minute, okay?" Annie nodded.

Syrus sat next to her on the couch, glad the day had gone so well. They really didn't need any more bad luck. "Hey, guys?" Annie called to her friends. "Huddle! I have an idea!"

Syrus grinned, and everyone huddled around the couch. "What is it, Annie?" asked Alexis.

"We all want a little more time with Bastion and Violet tonight, right?"

"Yeah, I bet Violet's pretty bored right about now," replied Atticus. They could all easily imagine her driving Bastion and the nurses crazy.

"Okay...Well, I was thinking, if you were all willing, we could each chip in and buy them and us dinner," she suggested. "I mean, the Kaibas and everybody have been so nice to us..."

"That sounds great, Annie! With all of us, we should have enough," Syrus smiled, trying to count in his head.

"Yeah...Chazz, we both have credit cards, right?"

"Yeah," he grinned, "mine's still good and I'm getting a new one sent later..."

"Annie, you have a credit card?" Zane asked.

"Yeah..."

"That's cool! So, what should we get?" asked Alexis.

"Well, let's find out what they want...Um...Guys?" Annie called to the adults.

"Yeah, Annie?" replied Tea, looking over at the group.

"We wanted to do something for you guys, but we had to know what would work first..."

"Yeah...you've done nice stuff for us, so it's payback time," Chazz added.

"Yeah. Especially in matters of helping us with dinner," Jaden grinned.

Tea grinned, turning back to the other parents. "Well, guys, what should we get?"

Seto looked carefully at the kids. "Are you sure you all want to do this?"

The younger group looked at each other. Alan and Barbara Haverbrook looked at the kids too. "Should we..."

"No, Alan, we want to do this...And Violet's my best friend," Annie said.

"Hey, don't worry about it you guys! You've been doing so much for us, now it's our turn to return the favor!! Am I right?" explained Atticus, grinning. The other teens nodded.

Kisara was smiling. "You kids are so sweet...Well, guys, what should we get?" The group of nine-and-unders looked at each other and shrugged.

"Guess it's up to us," Seto said. "Joey? Dare I ask?"

Joey grinned. "Normally, I'd suggest something crazy. But we have to get something that Violet can eat," he reminded. Tea was rather shocked he'd remembered at all.

The others in the group were surprised. "Serenity, how did he remember?" Tristan asked his wife.

Serenity sweat-dropped. "Joey can remember things if they're really important. Like when he needed to visit me for my eye operation."

"Oh, yeah..." Tristan remembered Joey yelling at him over the phone and blushed.

"Daddy, why's your face all red?" Mylie asked.

"Daddy's just remembering a long time ago before he and Mommy were dating and Uncle Joey wasn't sure about that..."

Angela Serenity Wheeler grinned. "Dad, you were being overprotective, weren't you?"

Joey's grin turned sheepish. "Well, Angie, your daddy didn't want anyone hurting his baby sister. So, yes, I was a little over-protective."

"Yup...he was overprotective," Mai grinned. "And then...that day when Uncle Duke dealt with us girls..." She was recalling the day Serenity broke up with Duke Devlin and Joey had been looking around for something to brain the guy with. However, Kisara had come up with an ingenious punishment.

Duke had been forced to stand in the town square wearing the infamous dog suit with a sandwich board that read, "I am Duke Devlin and I'm a low-down dirty dog who cheated on my girlfriend."

Joey frowned. "I still say you guys should have let me beat his brains in for what he did..."

"Well, I think Ishizu, Cleo and Derek would disagree with you," Mai countered. "Besides, Joey, revenge was a dish best served cold..."

Kisara smiled coldly. "And you have to admit his standing out there in the dog suit all day was pretty fun...And it got on the news and was played for days."

"Oh! I saw that on YouTube!" Jaden said. "Man, you guys must've been mad..."

Joey's frown became a grin again. "Payback for what he did to me! He always was stuck-up...though I guess he turned out to be okay when we had the whole Orichalcos thing goin' on."

"True," Tristan answered. "And then we fell out of the car..."

"You...fell out of the car?" Yugi asked. "Oh, I wasn't around for that...Anyway, weren't we talking about dinner?"

"Right! Heh, like I was sayin', we need to be sure to get somethin' that Violet can eat," repeated Joey, sweat-dropping. Somehow, they'd gotten WAY off-track.

"Okay..." Kisara was thoughtful. "We've had a lot of pizza...how about Thai food?"

"Hmmm..." Annie thought carefully. "We could get that for us and some Mexican for Violet in case she doesn't like Thai food."

"Just remember, one-star spicy and nothing too spicy for Violet because she's on a lot of medication," Kisara cautioned.

"Okay," Annie said. "We'll go and pick up the food and you can all meet us at the hospital..."

"You can use the limo if you'd like," Seto offered.

"Thanks, Seto!" the teens grinned and went to work ordering at two different restaurants.

_And so, the teens are ordering dinner for their friends, old and new. Next time: "Dinner and Some Mortadellas." What will happen next? Read, review and stay tuned. Thank you!_


	60. Dinner and Some Mortadellas

Chapter LX: Dinner and Some Mortadellas

_Hello again, dear and faithful readers! Sorry for the delay of a week, but one of us had to get caught up with another tale, "The Path to Redemption."We didn't want to have to completely repeat the mention of events and possibly foul up continuity in our universe, so it took a little bit to catch up. Anyway, thank you again for your patience and your reviews and for reading. And so, we bring you the glorious 60__th__ chapter._

_Last time, there was loving chaos at the Kaiba mansion, the original gang agreed to come to the premiere of "Sailor Blue Eyes: Love Conquers the Darkness" in cosplay, and Annie suggested and the teens agreed to get and pay for dinner for the whole crew. So what will happen now? Stay tuned and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters for what we own and don't own.**_

_Authors' note and warning: Language in this chapter and some of it is bleeped because it's really bad. Also, "mortadella," according to the mobster show, "The Sopranos," means losers. Thank you!_

And so, on Monday evening, the adults and the small children headed to Domino Children's Hospital, and the teens went to a Mexican restaurant to pick up Violet's dinner and then to a really good Thai restaurant. Little did they know that they were about to be ambushed.

"Whoa, did we order the entire restaurant?" Jaden asked. "It all smells great!"

"Yeah, I love Thai food!" Annie said happily.

"Whoa," Chazz said. "I think we're..."

"Hey youse kids..." A big man in a dark outfit emerged from the alley, speaking in a New Jersey accent. "Which one of you youths is Chazz?"

"I am...who are you?" the raven-haired boy growled.

Annie's face paled remembering the night of the attack on the hospital. "You're with Slade and Jagger..."

"Yeah, and you kids didn't know when to shut your yaps..." Three other figures emerged from the shadows.

Almost immediately, the guys got in front of Alexis and Annie protectively. Even Syrus was up front, though he doubted that he could do much. "Hey! Leave us alone; your bosses are in jail now!!" growled Alexis, just as ready to fight.

"Yeah, but they can still give us orders... And our orders are to make sure you little twerps don't talk!"

"Alexis, remember our defense training?" Annie whispered to her fellow Obelisk.

"You bet I do! But take it easy; don't push yourself," Alexis whispered back.

"So then, who wants to be first?" asked another goon, cracking his knuckles.

Chazz stepped forward. "Bring it on, since those jerks don't have the guts to take us on themselves..."

"And you have to get through me," Jaden snarled.

Annie could feel her heart rate going up as she stood next to Alexis. 'Stay conscious,' she thought, willing herself to do so. And the four boys were locked in combat.

The first goon that had spoken had gone for Jaden. "Youse gonna have enough?"

"GET AWAY!" Jaden shouted, managing to kick the guy in the same place that Serena had shot him, Jaden, at point blank range. The big gorilla went down, gasping.

"Man, you're a wimp!" called the second guy. He had just thrown a punch at Chazz, with enough force to break his nose or maybe even his jaw if it managed to make contact with his face. Chazz dodged the blow and the guy connected with a brick wall. His boxers were sticking out of the top of his pants and the smaller boy grabbed and yanked. And then he hit the guy in the back of the head, knocking him out.

"The Chazz wins!" He sprinted over to help the other boys.

The limo driver had called 911, but the police weren't arriving quickly enough. "Man, where's Bastion and Tyson when we need them?" Jaden wondered out loud.

Atticus was in a fist fight with the third guy, and had managed a few punches to his chest and face. But a blow to the stomach from the well-muscled goon sent him to his knees in pain. That made Alexis angry, and she ran over to kick the guy in the same spot Jaden had kicked the first one moments ago. "TAKE THAT!! No one hurts my brother!" she yelled, eyes aflame.

The guy threw up and passed out. That left Syrus. "You little twerp!" the fourth goon yelled. Sy had kicked him in the shins and not let the guy make contact.

"HE'S NOT A TWERP!" Annie shouted, running in and trying to hit the guy.

"You little XXXX!" the guy yelled, using a very nasty term for women and hitting Annie across the jaw, throwing her to the ground.

Syrus had already been angered by what he called her, but now he was really mad. "DON'T TOUCH MY GIRLFRIEND, YOU XXXXXXX!!" he yelled. At the moment, he may have even rivaled his older brother in the "scary" category. Syrus punched the guy in the stomach with all his strength, sending him to his knees. He then kneed the guy in the jaw and punched him, sending him flying onto his back with a broken jaw, a broken nose and some missing teeth.

"Sy," Zane said, jaw dropping and eyes wide. "Whoa!" Jaden and Chazz looked impressed and a little scared. Annie might've said something, but the force of the blow and hitting the ground had knocked her cold.

Syrus was breathing heavily, and so bit his hand lightly to calm himself down. 'Did I just? Oh, man...I can't believe I just did that. But he hurt-- ANNIE!!' he thought, eyes widening. Syrus spun on his heel, kneeling beside her. "Annie! Are you okay? Annie!!"

Jaden moved next to Annie fast and checked her pulse. "Annie, can you hear me? Oh, man, she hit her head...that jerk..."

Zane growled softly. "Who are these..?"

"Slade and Jagger wanted revenge on us," Chazz groaned. "DAMMIT!" he shouted.

Zane moved around, hog-tying the behemoths. "Calm down, Chazz...this just adds to their sentences when they're tried and convicted." It was another three minutes before the police showed up.

"Annie's probably got a concussion," Jaden groaned softly. The limo driver had grabbed an emergency kit from the car and was now helping the kids as best they could.

Zane touched the back of Annie's head and his hand came away with blood on it. "Oh, no..."

Syrus was shaking lightly, eyes wide when he saw the blood. "Annie," he whispered.

Atticus was sitting on the ground by Syrus, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Sy...she'll be okay..." He coughed, voice a bit strained from that punch to the gut. One of Atticus' eyes was also swollen shut from another hit the guy had managed to get on him.

"Head wounds just look worse," Zane added. "Jaden, help me lift her...Alexis, you too...Sy, hand me some gauze pads, the clean wipes and the rolled up gauze..." He added, "Atticus, there's a chemical ice bag in the kit. Get it and put it on your eye..."

Alexis nodded and helped Jaden lift Annie, while Syrus dug through the kit. He handed Zane the things he asked for, and also gave Atticus the ice pack. "Thanks, Sy-- ow! Man, that stings," he groaned, wincing as the ice made contact.

Finally the police arrived, as did a couple of ambulances. "Holy moly, what happened?" a female officer asked, coming up to the kids.

"They attacked us," Chazz said. "They attacked us on the orders of Slade and Jagger Princeton. We held them off, but we have injuries. And this girl has a heart condition," he said, indicating Annie. "She's been a patient at Domino Children's."

"Okay...let's take care of these kids," the police officer barked.

The other officers nodded, some gathering the goons into the police cars while others lifted Annie into an ambulance. "Are any of you family or her fiancé?" asked one officer.

Zane and Jaden moved Sy forward. "Sy's her fiancé," they both said.

Chazz nodded. "Yeah..."

Syrus blinked, but was too upset to accidentally protest and simply climbed in with the paramedic. Then, the ambulance drove off, leaving the teens and the limo. Alexis went to her brothers and hugged them, tears brimming her eyes. "Why? Why did this have to happen??" she whispered sadly. Atticus frowned and wrapped his free arm around her comfortingly.

"Because those two idiots I happen to share DNA with are...well, they're jerks," Chazz growled, hugging his sister tightly. Jaden and Zane joined in the hug too.

"It'll be okay," Zane added. "Lexi, she'll be all right...We'll be all right. I just wonder how much more of this Sy can take..."

In the ambulance, meanwhile, Syrus's eyes were still wide, body shivering every now and then. He held Annie's hand in his own, mind filled with thoughts of worry. 'Don't worry, Annie, you'll be okay. You'll be okay,' he kept telling himself.

"She's going to need stitches," one paramedic said to the other. "How's her heart rate?"

"Good...surprisingly..."

Annie's hand clasped tightly around Sy's and she came around. "S-Syrus?" She moaned softly. "What happened?"

He blinked in surprise and snapped out of his trance. "Annie! You're awake!! Do you feel okay??" he asked worriedly.

"Where are we?" she asked, very out of it.

"Annie, you got knocked out during the fight and hit your head. We're on our way to the hospital," he explained, relieved.

"Fight? The last thing I remember was those big men..." And then she started to gag.

"Okay, kid, let's sit you up, quick!" The paramedics sat Annie up and she threw up into a tray just for that purpose.

"Annie! Are you okay?!" asked Syrus, worried again.

"She's got a concussion, kid, and this sometimes happens," one of the medics said as it seemed Annie had just thrown up her socks.

"Oh...is she going to be okay?"

"Yeah."

The medics helped Annie clean up and then she lay down again. "Ooh..." They'd finally reached the hospital, and Sy had to let go of Annie's hand so they could pull her out of the ambulance.

Annie was frightened. "Oh, my goodness!" a familiar voice yelped. Scout Rhodes came running up to Annie and Sy. "What happened?! I just saw Atticus and he and the boys looked like they'd been in a fight!"

"These guys who work for Slade and Jagger attacked us, Scout! Annie got hurt, and I...I..." Syrus' gaze turned to the ground as his voice failed him. He was still shocked that he could have done such a thing, or even cursed. Syrus Truesdale had almost never cursed in his life! And certainly not at anyone in anger.

"Atticus filled me in, sweetie...and what you did and said was understandable. That thug called your girlfriend something absolutely terrible and then knocked her out, so getting angry like that...Sy, don't beat yourself up...Oh, Annie..."

"I feel really dizzy, Scout," Annie moaned again. "Sy..."

"Sy, come and hold her hand." Scout examined the back of Annie's head. "Honey, we have to shave your head to get to this cut. You really need stitches."

"Okay..." Annie was feeling really dizzy.

"Don't worry, Annie. You'll be okay...just relax," Syrus soothed. However, he was shaking with worry himself, unable to stop even though he knew it wasn't helping.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the hospital... "I wonder what's taking so long," Kisara wondered. "The kids were coming with dinner and they left before us."

"They were picking up supper?" Bastion asked curiously from his bed.

"You mean non-hospital food? Really??" asked Violet, grinning.

"Yeah. Thai food and some Mexican for you," replied Teá, smiling. Violet lifted her fist, unable to actually pump it and show her excitement for fear of popping a stitch.

"Yeah, Annie and the guys thought it would be fun to treat everybody," Kisara answered. "They wanted to pay us back, though they didn't have to. But goodness, it's taking a long time." And then, five kids came into the room with boxes in hand, but looking like they'd been through a war. Jaden had bruises on his face and body, as did Chazz, Zane and Alexis. Atticus had bruises on his face and a nasty black eye.

Violet's jaw dropped and she blinked. "Whoa! What the heck happened to you guys?!" she asked, shocked.

"We ran into some...trouble," began Alexis, setting down the boxes she held.

"Trouble?" the group yelped. The young kids looked at the teens, eyes wide with horror.

"What happened?" Seto asked, face getting angry.

"We...had a run-in with Slade and Jagger's goons," Chazz growled. "I should've known...and Annie paid the price..."

"Annie?" Bastion asked, sitting himself up. "What happened to her?"

"One of the jerks hit her hard and called her something vile," Zane growled.

"Yeah, and then Sy went medieval on his butt!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Wait, are we talking about Syrus Truesdale? The one who never fights??" asked Violet, even more shocked. She knew that he would get mad at something like that, but had no idea he would get so angry as to beat the guy who did so.

"Yeah...he can get mad, Violet," Jaden answered. "And he just went nuts. I've seen him mad but...never like that..."

"Yeah. My little brother broke a guy's teeth...and broke his nose...and knocked him out..." Zane sounded and looked a little dazed.

"Holy..." muttered Violet, eyes wide. She quickly made a mental note never to get on his true bad side.

"Well, anyway, what happened with Annie?" asked Teá worriedly.

"She...got knocked out and she definitely had a concussion, as well as a bad cut to the back of her head," Zane answered. "Those...excuse me, I have to go use the swear field..." Zane walked out of the room, out of the hospital and to where Bastion had cursed a blue streak a few days previously. He let loose with some skin-frying curses.

Violet sighed and fell back against the pillows of her bed. "Man, what is it with us lately?! We can't seem to stay out of the hospital," she grumbled, frowning.

"Well, I know what I'm doing first thing in the morning," Seto said ominously. "Babe...we have to proceed to Phase II."

"Yeah," Kisara growled. "Those two have lost Princeton Corp and we will destroy them...they probably used mob connections..."

Chazz nodded. "Yeah...they got Jersey muscle to do it. One of the goons had a very distinct accent..."

"So they hired the Sopranos?" Mai growled. "Not okay..."

"Okay, I just have one question...how did they do this when they're supposed to be in jail?!" asked Violet, fists clenched. 'If I hadn't been stuck in this stupid hospital, Annie and Sy would have been safe up in Seattle,' she thought angrily.

"Slade probably made a phone call," Chazz groaned. "They were planning this...I should've known they were. There's no way Slade would've let us get away unscathed."

Bastion looked over at Violet. "Violet, darling, are you...don't tell me you're blaming yourself!"

Alan, Barbara, Bobby and Haylee looked carefully at her. "Honey, are you?" Alan asked.

Violet started, then turned away with a pout. She really wanted to know why everyone seemed to be able to read her mind. "Well, if I wasn't in the hospital, they wouldn't have stayed. Annie would be safe in Seattle right now instead of having a concussion," she explained, pout becoming a sad frown. 'I really am bad luck...if only it didn't spread to my friends and just stuck to me,' she thought sadly.

"Violet, if you're thinking you're bad luck again, you're not. Slade and Jagger would've attacked us eventually, and when they did, it was gonna be bad anyway," Chazz said. "If anybody's bad luck, it's me because of the jerks I had the misfortune to be related to."

Violet sighed and laid back. "I guess you're right in a way..." She then sat up with a fiery look in her eyes. "But if I ever see Slade, Jagger, or those goons again, I'm gonna give 'em an atomic wedgie they'll never be able to forget!"

"We're going to take them down," Seto said. "Guys...we are going to be doing some...group investing..."

The muffled swearing had gone silent. "It sounds as if Zane has cursed himself out," Bastion observed. "Where is he?"

Zane was now at the ER. "Syrus?" he called. A nurse led him to a waiting area. Syrus was sitting in one of the chairs, apparently having a staring contest with the floor. However, he was in fact lost in thought, hands clasped worriedly. "Syrus," Zane called softly. He came into the room and sat down next to his little brother. "Are you okay?"

Sy jumped slightly at the sound of another voice, blinking as his eyes regained focus. "H-Huh? Wha-- oh, Zane! It's you," he mumbled, glancing at Zane. "I...I don't know..."

Zane put his arm around his brother. "You were amazing out there. You know that?"

Syrus blushed lightly. "Uh, well, I kind of lost it. I mean, I didn't want Annie to get hurt..."

"Sy...you gave that guy what he gave Annie...she needs stitches, doesn't she?"

He nodded, frowning. "I...Zane, why does all of this stuff keep happening? I thought that, maybe, once we left the academy it would stop. But now..."

"Yeah...remember last year when I lost to Aster?"

"Yeah, and then you went all, well..."

"I almost did...I kept losing, and then...there was that underground duel. I couldn't win that duel, little brother...That's why I came back to the Academy..." Zane continued, "And then you knocked me back to my senses, reminding me why dueling's so good in the first place." Zane thought over the day his brother had stood up to him and reminded Syrus of it in the hospital waiting room. "You knocked me back to my senses with all that, you know, Sy?" Syrus nodded, glad that he'd been able to help his brother come to his senses. He reached over and hugged Zane then, in need of a hug. "You found your strength today like you did then," Zane said calmly.

And then a nurse came to them. "Is one of you boys Syrus Truesdale?" he asked kindly.

The blue-headed boy tensed, quickly turning to the nurse. "Uh, yeah, I am..."

"Your fiancée is asking for you, young man. And I'm going to warn you...she looks a little bit different..."

Syrus blinked, but stood none the less. "Okay." He didn't care if she looked different, so long as she was the same person.

"What happened?" Zane asked as they walked. And then they were in the room.

"Hey, guys," Annie said. She was banged up with a very nasty bruise on her face. However, that was not the most drastic thing about her current appearance. Her once-shoulder-length hair was now very, very short. The cut on her head had been rather nasty.

"Annie, you're okay!" Syrus was by her side in an instant, and pulled her hand into his own. He stared for a few moments at her new "look", but wasn't really phased by it. All that mattered was that Annie was okay.

"Back here again," she sighed. "I have a splitting headache...what happened with those guys?"

"Well, I, uh, you see..." Syrus swallowed and blushed lightly, remembering exactly what he'd done after Annie was knocked unconscious.

"Sy was a hero, Annie...everybody's okay and those jerks are in jail, though thanks to Sy, one of them will be in the prison infirmary," Zane explained with a smirk.

Annie looked at her love, eyes wide. "Sy, what happened?" She noticed the bruises on him.

He gulped, then let out a sigh. "Annie, I...well, after he hit you I just...lost it. I was so mad that he hurt you. I...I called him an, uh, a-hole and...punched him. He fell, so then I...kneed him in the jaw and punched his face. I was just so angry..."

"He called me a bad word before that...and you defended me...Syrus..." Annie tried to move to kiss him, but her head spun and she had to lie back down.

"Sy, I think she would like you to do something," Zane prompted.

Syrus knew what he meant, and quickly leaned down to kiss Annie. When they pulled away for some much-needed air, he spoke again. "The others are all pretty bruised like us, and Atty has a black eye."

"Atticus..." Annie was really woozy. "Atticus got hurt?"

"Yeah, the guy got some shots in before Alexis and the rest of us whaled on him," Zane explained.

"Good...oh, does Violet know? She must be scared and I know she's blaming herself!" Annie was getting agitated.

"Annie, calm down. Bastion and the others are there, so they're probably stopping her from doing that. Especially Bastion and her parents," explained Syrus comfortingly.

Just then, Scout came into the room. "Hi, Annie. Hi, boys...We're going to move you up to the room with Bastion and Violet, all right?"

"Okay..." Annie said weakly. So, the doctor and brothers rolled Annie upstairs and down the hallway to the rather crowded hospital room.

In the room, everyone heard the wheels. "That must be..." Bastion said.

"Hey, guys," Annie said as Scout and a couple of orderlies rolled the gurney into the room.

"Annie...are you all...of course you're not right as rain!" Bastion exclaimed.

"Bastion, stop yelling...my head hurts," Annie groaned.

"Are you feeling okay, Annie?" asked Violet worriedly. Annie was rolled in and placed at the last vacant bed beside Violet's bed, so that now Violet had Bastion on her left and Annie on her right.

"I feel like I was hit by the Ojama King, but other than that, I'm okay," Annie said, smiling reassuringly. "But don't whoop or anything...please?"

Violet gave her best friend a thumbs-up. "Okey dokey artichokey," she replied, grinning. "Nice haircut by the way. It looks good on you," she added. It was hard to tell whether Violet was making a joke or being serious.

"Does...everybody think that?" Annie asked. She felt like she looked terrible as a large portion of her head had been shaved. So she needed reassurance.

"You look fine, Annie," replied Alexis, smiling.

Atticus nodded and grinned. "Yeah! You're making a rebellious new fashion statement with that look!!" he explained. "You look better than Violet, that's for sure," joked Bobby. He received a vicious glare from his bed-ridden sister in return.

"You look fine, Annie," Jaden said, smiling. "You look pretty."

"Yeah, for feeling like you got Chazzed up, you look great," Chazz added.

"You look fine," Seto added as the other men in his group nodded.

"Don't worry, hon," Mai soothed. "You look fine and I think your boyfriend has the final vote on how you look...Sy, hon, what do you think?"

Syrus sent his girlfriend a reassuring smile. "Annie, I don't really care how you look. But to me, you look just fine..."

Annie sighed in relief. "I'm glad...Well, back in here again...So was it really Slade and Jagger's goons, Chazz?"

Seto answered. "It was and we're proceeding with Phase II of Operation: S and J Destruction. If there's one thing that I absolutely cannot tolerate, it's bullies. And those two are about to learn that it's unwise to test me on that." His eyes flashed dangerously.

"But what else can you do to them? They're already going to jail," Violet asked, confused.

"Weren't you guys going to try taking over their company?" asked Alexis.

"Exactly what we were planning," Kisara said, the same look her husband had on her own face. "We all have stock portfolios and we're going to buy out the company, if you're in, Chazz..."

"Yeah, I am. But what happens to it?"

"That, Chazz, is up to you," Seto answered. "We can sign it over to you, or it can be absorbed into Kaiba Corp, but you will decide what happens."

Violet had gone silent, staring at the ceiling and deep in thought. She'd been doing this a lot lately since there was nothing better to do, but usually it was just daydreaming. "Uh, but, what if...hm," she mumbled, frowning.

"Violet, darling, what are you thinking of?" Bastion asked, trying to prompt her. "Is it about this?"

Violet opened her mouth, then closed it. She then opened it again, having apparently figured out what she was going to say. "Well, uh, what if they...er, attack us again? I mean, if it happened once, uh..."

"It won't happen again..." Seto growled. "I'm going to be calling in some favors. Also, those two...words I'm not going to use in front of my children or you kids...are going to find that their assets are frozen and that they have no way of getting their goon squads. I am making it clear to the prison, the judge and their lawyer that those two are to have privileges revoked on the grounds that they've used them to harm six kids, one of whom has a serious medical condition that is made worse by stressful situations. I will not allow it to happen again." Seto just looked plain angry and everyone in the room sensed his cold fury.

Bobby was probably the only one who didn't sense it, too busy idolizing Seto. 'God, he's so cool!' he thought. However, the only ones who noticed this were the Haverbrooks, and all four visibly groaned or sighed in exasperation.

'Brothers. Are. Stupid,' thought Violet dully.

"Wow, Dad," Noah said, impressed. "I wouldn't want you mad at me..."

"I don't get that mad at you, kiddo," Seto grinned.

Bakura Ryou sat quietly, his twins sitting with him. "You children all have a great deal of courage...So, Syrus, am I to understand you defended your lady when her honor was challenged?"

Syrus blinked, having to go through exactly what Bakura had asked. "Oh, uh, yeah. I got kind of mad," he replied, blushing.

"Did you break his nose?!" asked Amane excitedly.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh, I don't know..."

"Actually, little brother, I think you might have, and you broke his teeth...Between what that gorilla called her and then hitting her and knocking her out, Sy just went ballistic," Zane explained.

"What did he call her?" Angela asked, eyes wide.

The teens who had been there either grinned sheepishly or sweat-dropped, the word not exactly something you should say in front of children. "Uh, well," mumbled Syrus.

"It was a derogatory term for women, wasn't it?" little Alex asked. Every person over the age of 9 fell over anime-style.

"Uh...yeah," Jaden said, stunned. "How'd you know?"

"Someone called Aunt Mai something rather rude one night when Amane and I were out with Angela, Jo-Jo and Gina and Uncle Joey punched the man's lights out," Alex explained in his proper British accent.

"Well, I wasn't gonna let that jerk get away with callin' her somethin' so dirty," stated Joey.

"I remember that! You broke the guy's nose, Daddy!!" exclaimed Jo-Jo, grinning.

"Yeah, he did, Jo-Jo," Mai said proudly.

"Oh, it was that word..." Angela understood. "No wonder you beat the heck out of him, Sy. Daddy said that any guy who ever calls a girl that should have some sense knocked into him the hard way and isn't the type of guy you should date. And the right guy is the one that will make sure the rude guy gets what's coming to him! Right, Daddy?"

Joey grinned, ruffling Angela's hair. "Yup! That's my girl," he replied.

"I know that if anyone ever called Angie or Gina that, I'd show 'em who's boss!" shouted Jo-Jo, punching the air.

Amane smiled and turned expectantly towards her brother. "What about you, Alex??"

"I would defend you to the death, Amane. You're my sister, and no...what's a proper term, Dad?"

"Hmmm...I believe the term you want, Alex, is 'coward,'" Bakura answered thoughtfully.

"Thank you, Dad...no coward who calls you that will get away with it," Alex concluded with a gravity beyond his years.

Amane blinked. "Uh...thanks! But you didn't have to use so many words," she replied, sweat-dropping. Sometimes she wondered if her brother tried using his entire vocabulary every time he spoke.

"It's not my fault I'm more like Dad," Alex pointed out.

Bastion started to laugh. "Do I sound like that?"

Violet grinned. "Yup! But that's one of the reasons I love you!!" she replied. Violet then sighed and pouted, unable to give her fiancé a hug from her current position. 'Man, when I get out of this hospital I'm going to be one clingy fiancée,' she thought.

"I wish I'd been conscious to see what you did, Sy..." Annie said, smiling. And then she yawned. "Oh...I'm sleepy..."

"I can't let you sleep yet," Scout and Kisara said at the same time, then laughed as well.

"I think we're tag-teaming on this patient, Scout," Kisara grinned.

"Yup...you need to eat, Annie and then you can sleep," Scout concluded. The adults helped the able-bodied teens get the food out of the bags and get plates, forks and cups.

Soon, most of the group was eating the Thai food and Violet was eating her Mexican food. "This is good, Violet!" Alan said happily, eating some pad thai noodles with shrimp.

"Yeah, sissa! It's yummy!" Haylee added, her mouth full of garlic fried chicken.

Violet swallowed her mouthful of nachos happily. "Well, you guys know me. I can't eat any Oriental food or else I'll get sick," she replied simply.

Barbara sighed. "Everyone in this family loves Chinese except for Violet," she explained.

Bobby quickly swallowed his mouthful of garlic fried chicken to make a smart remark as usual. "Yup! She's the black sheep of the family," he joked, receiving another glare.

"We all have different tastes," Kisara said. "My brother, Eddie, hates potato chip chicken, but I love it! Mom and Dad love it too, so they make it when I come over and make something else for Eddie. Oddly enough, his wife and kids love the potato chip chicken, too."

"My brother, Bobby, doesn't have that...though he does hate some veggies," Annie said as Syrus helped her eat, entrusting the task to no one but himself.

Bobby nearly choked on his garlic chicken, causing Violet to snicker. "Whoa, what?! Your brother's named Bobby, too??" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah..." Annie answered.

"He's five years older than me, going to college and planning to work in HanCo with Daddy. He's going to work in the graphic design division when he's through, despite graduating with a degree in business."

Bobby grimaced. "Going to college? Working with computers?? Man, we may have the same name, but we're completely different. I left home when I turned nineteen and started a car audio/accessory store down in Miami. Nothing but expensive cars, sunny beaches, and neon night clubs," he explained, grinning.

Then, a nacho bounced off his nose. "You just moved down there so that I couldn't prank you anymore!" replied Violet, smirking.

Annie giggled. "We're all different. Mom and Dad were surprised when I said I wanted to attend Duel Academy. I'd always been interested in science and wanted to be a doctor and then...I said I wanted to go learn about dueling while working on science. So, they approved. They always said I was too serious, anyway..."

Jaden grinned. "Mom and Dad always wondered how I paid attention long enough to learn to duel..."

The group talked on for a while and ate their fill. Finally, the adults looked at the time. "Oh, wow. It's late," gasped Barbara. Time had flown, and it was already 9:30 at night. The three bed-ridden teens were visibly tired, Violet and Annie already dozing off.

"Annie?" Kisara asked softly. "Sweetie, do you still want to do the movie night tomorrow?"

Annie, groggy but still awake, nodded. "Yeah...I still want to..."

"Okay, okay...we'll get our costumes and I'll help set up the room so it looks a bit like a movie theater, all right?" Annie nodded sleepily.

"Yay...movie," mumbled Violet, asleep. Her parents kissed her on the forehead since they couldn't tell her good night. It appeared that the kids were getting tired as well.

"Man, I want an ice pack," Jaden groaned softly.

"Yeah, me too," Chazz growled. "Hey, Mom, can Jay come over tonight?" the raven-haired boy asked his mother.

Scout nodded. "I talked to Jayda a little bit ago and she figured you kids would want to stick together tonight, so that's fine."

Zane, meanwhile, looked at his brother. "Sy...maybe..." Syrus looked really tired and Zane was worried.

Syrus was sitting beside Annie's bed, and had gone into a doze. However, he awoke abruptly when his brother spoke, and quickly looked over at him. "Yeah, Zane?"

"Sy, maybe you should come home with me tonight...You're looking really tired."

He visibly frowned and glanced at his girlfriend. "But...Annie...I should," he mumbled.

"Syrus, we're right here," Katai said from Bastion's bedside. "You're going to get sick if you don't take a little time for yourself."

Syrus's gaze turned to the floor, still unsure. "Annie, is it...okay with you?" he asked nervously. But Annie was sound asleep now. Her face was bruised, hair shaved and her eyes were closed.

Zane moved next to his brother. "You really don't want to leave her...but what would she say if you got sick?"

Sy sighed, knowing that Zane had a point. Annie would blame herself if he got sick, because he wanted to stay with her. "Alright...I'll go..."he mumbled, standing.

"It's okay, Sy...we'll keep her safe," Katai soothed. And the big group left.

"Night, guys," Jaden said softly, looking nervously at his best friend.

Yugi caught the look. "Don't you go kicking yourself, Jaden. I did and almost paid for it, remember?"

Jaden nodded. "I know this wasn't my fault. I'll be okay, Yugi...I just worry about Sy..."

"He's been through a lot recently, Jaden. We all have. Just give him some time," stated Alexis, taking his hand. It was true; what they'd gone through for a month was more than what most people went through their whole lives.

Syrus was so worn out that he almost fell asleep as he and Zane walked to their car. "C'mon, Sy, you can sleep in the car, all right?" The dark-haired boy lifted Sy into the front passenger seat and buckled him in. Then Zane climbed into the driver's seat and buckled himself in as well. "You pushed yourself too hard, little brother...Mom and Dad are both going to be worried, but they were proud of you when I told them what happened." Zane continued, "I think you answered who really is the stronger of us...you are...but I'm still looking out for you," he concluded, looking at Sy's face, intermittently illuminated by the passing streetlights.

Syrus had drifted off, and Zane couldn't be sure whether he'd heard any of his words or not. Zane got Sy home and their parents fussed over them. Will got Sy to bed, but sometime in the night, Zane awoke to hear something he hadn't heard since he was 8 years old. Sy was at his bedroom door, calling his name softly.

Syrus had woken up from a bad nightmare, where Annie had been calling out to him and he wasn't there to help her. "Zane...?"

Zane was awake in an instant. "Sy, what's wrong?" he whispered back.

"I-I had a nightmare, Zane. C-Could I...maybe, sleep with you? Uh," Sy mumbled, frowning.

"Yeah, of course," Zane whispered back, moving over to make room for his brother. "I don't think you've come in here like this since you were six...What was the dream about?"

Syrus climbed in beside his brother, snuggling close just like he'd done all those years ago. "I...I dreamt that Annie needed me, but...I wasn't there to help her," he explained sadly.

As he had years ago, Zane hugged his brother close. "Sy...it's all right. We both know Annie's safe right now and I know you'll be there to protect her. Was there anything else in the dream?"

The bluenette shook his head. "No...Zane, I...I just don't want to lose her," Syrus whimpered lightly, tears brimming his eyes.

Zane rocked Sy. "I know...and I know you're scared. I know how it feels to not be able to do much other than be there for the person you love..."

Syrus sniffed and looked up at his brother. "R-Really?"

"Yeah...when Camula almost took you...I was powerless...And when you and Jaden dueled the Paradox brothers..." Zane shivered slightly.

Sy's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, so it was me...I never thought you'd sacrifice yourself to save me, Zane..."

"Sy...you mean everything to me...and I'm sorry I ever made you think otherwise. And if I'd lost you that day...I don't know if I could've even lived. You're my little brother and I love you so much it hurts."

"But, then...why did you act the way you did all that time?" Sy had wanted to ask about it for a long time.

"For probably the dumbest reason. I wanted to make you stronger, but I guess I went about it the wrong way...I thought leaving you alone was the best way, but...well, Jaden had a better method. I should've done what he has the last two years and actually helped you learn..." Zane sighed.

"Well, I'm just glad you know that now, Zane," Syrus replied tiredly, hugging him tighter.

"Why don't we just go to sleep, Sy? Night, little brother. I love you," Zane yawned, drifting off.

"Goodnight, big brother. I love you, too..." Syrus rarely called him "big brother" anymore, but felt he should this time.

The two boys fell asleep and dreamed peacefully the rest of the night. In the morning, William Truesdale tiptoed to Sy's room to look in on his youngest and saw Sy wasn't in bed. So he tiptoed over to Zane's room and to his surprise saw something he hadn't in 11 years. "Darla..." he whispered. "Come here a minute...Look..."

Darla yawned, and walked over in her robe and slippers. "What is it, Will?" She asked, taking a look inside the room. Instantly, a smile crowned her features at the sight. "Oh, Will..." The two boys were peacefully cuddled close as they had been years ago.

"Sy must've had a nightmare...considering what he's been through...He looks better this morning, though. When Zane brought him home, he looked like death warmed over," Will smiled. "I couldn't believe it at first...what a little scrapper he was last night..."

"Oh, I know. I didn't think he had it in him. He never swears...let alone gets into fights. But at least it was for the right reasons."

"Yeah...let's let them sleep. I think Zane can handle fixing them breakfast," Will smiled. "Darla, we both have to be at work. They'll be fine."

"Oh, all right. I suppose Zane can handle things..." So, the two got ready and had a quick breakfast, leaving an hour and a half later for work.

_And so we end this rather long chapter! Next time, __"A Cosplay Movie Premiere!" Until then, please read and review! Thank you!_


	61. A Cosplay Movie Premiere

Chapter LXI: A Cosplay Movie Premiere

_Hello again, dear readers. Considering the response that we've received regarding the Sailor Blue Eyes movie, we wrote out the tail end of the film for all of you. Consequently, this chapter is extra long and there will be no recap. As always, thank you for your reviews and for reading, everyone, so enjoy this extended chapter!_

_**Disclaimer: We've told you previously what we do and don't own. In addition, we don't own Sailor Moon, any of the movies or any of that series' characters, but we do own the Dragon Scouts. We also don't own "Cleveland Rocks!" One of us just had that opening to **The Drew Carey Show** stuck in her head. And we also don't own the Sailor Moon R movie which is directly parodied in this chapter.**_

_Warning: Some cursing and character (temporary) death!_

About the time Will and Darla left for work, Annie, Bastion and Violet woke up at the hospital. "Morning, Mum and Dad," Bastion said softly. "Did you sleep all right?"

"We did, sweetie," Katai answered.

Annie's eyes opened and of course she looked for Sy. "Morning, everybody…Hey, where's Syrus?" she asked, worried.

"He left, Annie. Zane convinced him to go home and get some rest. He did want to stay, though," explained Hiro.

Violet yawned and opened her eyes, greeted by the ever-white ceiling. "Aw...so then it was a dream. Dang it..."

"Good morning, Violet, darling," Bastion greeted. "What was a dream?"

Violet pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "I dreamt that we were in Cleveland, and I was showing you around the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. It was so nice...but, I'm still stuck here in the hospital."

"You'll be there soon enough, Violet," Annie said. "It's going to be a few more days and you're outta here with Bastion! And Bastion, you get to see how Cleveland rocks!"

"Oh, I heard that song! I can sing some of it!" Bastion revealed.

Violet's jaw dropped. "You can? Sing it!" She knew this was going to be rich, and entertaining. Besides, now she could see how well he could sing.

And Bastion proceeded to sing, somewhat decently, "Cleveland Rocks." He knew some of the song, courtesy of _The Drew Carey Show._

"Not bad, Bastion!" Annie said, clapping enthusiastically.

"I'm not great," Bastion said, smiling, "but thank you..."

Violet wanted to tackle-hug her fiancé so bad right now, she was inches away from jumping from her hospital bed to do so. "Bastion-baby, that was great! You'd be on the ground right now if I wasn't stuck in this stupid bed!"

Bastion got out of bed, deciding to preemptively strike. He walked over to his fiancée's bed and gently hugged her. "I have a feeling Kisara or Scout would kill us if we tried any sort of tackle-hugging for a while, darling. And I for one am feeling much better and that means I shall help you recover fully." He held her in the hug for a moment. "So I will hug you for now."

"Hooray! I have the best doctor in the world!" she exclaimed, hugging him. By "doctor", she meant her Bastion-baby, of course.

"Thank you, darling," Bastion said, heading back to his own bed.

"None of you kids will be overexerting yourselves on my watch," Katai said clearly. "Hiro, you pushed some appointments back today, right?"

"Yes, I did. I'll be able to stay until three o'clock, darling," he replied, smiling.

Violet sighed. "Well, not much to do now but wait for breakfast. Boring..."

The three kids had their breakfast and in other parts of Domino, several kids and their families were working fast. Today was a day where the youngest ones would see their mothers and fathers as superheroes.

Late in the afternoon, at a house not too far from the Kaibas, Mai Wheeler was slipping on a white gymnast's leotard with purple trim at the neck. Then she put on a purple pleated skirt, white gloves with purple cuffs and a pair of strappy heeled shoes. 'Not bad,' she thought, looking in the mirror. "Joey?"

A loud clamor was heard, like a pile of armor falling. "Yah! Ow," groaned Joey. He was dressed in most of the costume, and lying on the ground in a heap. "Man, I forgot how heavy this thing was!"

Mai helped him up. "Hon, you look amazing..."

"Uh, thanks, Mai. You look great, too!" he replied, grinning. The costume was almost an identical of the one he'd worn in the duel against Valon.

"So, Sailor Harpy's Dragon is with the Red Eyes Knight...I love it...Wonder what the kids will think?"

"Why don't we go show them?" he offered eagerly.

"Okay, let's do it!" They headed down the hall to the playroom where the kids were and were greeted with the kids dressed up for the movie night as well.

"I'm Sailor Mini Harpy's Dragon!" Angela grinned.

Jo-Jo was striking a pose on top of the toy chest. "I'm Mini Red Eyes Knight!" he cheered.

Gina clapped her hands from her spot on the floor. "I'm Sailor Mini Dark Witch!"

Little Gina was in a costume that had a yellow skirt and ankle-length boots.

"I'd say the Wheelers look pretty good! Ready to go?" asked Joey, grinning.

"Yup...I think we are," Mai smiled. "Aren't we, kids?"

"YAY!" three kids cheered.

"Joey?" Mai whispered to him when the kids were walking far enough ahead of them.

"Yeah, Mai?" he whispered back.

"I almost like this better than that other costume you wore..."

Joey blinked. "Uh, what costume, Mai?"

"The caveman suit," she grinned.

He blushed. "Oh, right that..." Joey then placed an arm around her shoulders. "Personally, nothing beats the outfit you wore..."

"I still think you looked better...very sexy..." And with that, they headed to their car. A few houses down, the Mutos were working with their kids.

"La la la, Mommy! Daddy! Look at me!" called Sophie. She was dressed in a blue-themed sailor suit and wearing blue knee-high boots as she was Sailor Mini Water Dragon. An ever-nervous Lily was standing behind her, dressed like Mini Mystical Elf.

Teá, dressed as Sailor Water Dragon, smiled down at the two. "Oh, aren't you two just adorable?"

"All my girls look lovely," Yugi said, walking in with the boys.

Yugi himself was the Dark Magician Knight and the Muto twins were the Mini Dark Magician Knights. "Do we look okay, Mommy?" they asked.

"Of course you two do! Just like your father," she replied, smiling. Teá pecked Yugi on the cheek, all six dressed up and ready to go.

"Shall we, Sailor Water Dragon?" Yugi asked his wife.

"Why of course, Dark Magician Knight." And so, the six went out to the car to drive to Domino Children's for the movie.

This scene was repeated at a few other homes and at 5 PM, everyone arrived at the hospital. "Oh," Kisara said as she entered the hospital as Sailor Blue Eyes with the Blue Eyes Knight at her side, "I have something for our director." She held up a box.

"Something else, babe?" Seto asked.

"She lost most of her hair last night, honey..."

"What is it, Mom?" asked Serena. She was dressed as Sailor Saturn, because Aunt Rebecca was dressing as Sailor Mini Blue Eyes. Jamie was dressed as Tuxedo Mask, since Uncle Mokuba was dressing as Mini Blue Eyes Knight.

"You kids will see...And I think you kids look great. Annie will probably love that you four went as Classic Sailor Moon characters."

"Yeah, Mom," Noah said. He'd dressed as Tuxedo Mask as well, complete with the red cape and little Jenna had dressed as Sailor Pluto, despite the fact that her hair was the wrong color.

"Come on, Mommy, what is it?"

"You kids will see... our director needs a little something to cheer her up about her appearance."

"Okay!" replied Jamie for everyone. So the Kaibas made their way to the room that they thought was occupied by three teens and one visiting adult.

"Hey, bro!" Seto heard the familiar voice of his brother as they headed into the hall. "You look great!" Mokuba grinned, dressed as an older Mini Blue Eyes Knight with Rebecca as the older Sailor Mini Blue Eyes. Rebecca had her hair back in the pigtails she'd once worn on a regular basis, tied in place with blue bands. Little Marty was dressed as a little unicorn boy.

"Marty is Helios, Sailor Mini Moon's boyfriend," Mokuba explained.

Jamie blinked and poked the horn. "Marty's got a horn comin' outta his head, Daddy," he stated.

Rebecca sweat-dropped. "It's part of his costume, sweetie."

"You guys made him Helios?" Kisara asked.

"Wait...isn't Helios a unicorn Pegasus?" Seto added.

"Yeah, honey...it's okay," Kisara soothed. By now they'd made it to the hospital room, and entered.

Everyone was there. "And here they are!" Jaden Yuki said in an announcer's voice. "The leads of 'Sailor Blue Eyes: Love Conquers the Darkness,' Seto and Kisara Kaiba! Also, it looks like Sailor Mini Blue Eyes, Rebecca Kaiba and the Mini Blue Eyes Knight, Mokuba Kaiba are here, too! Welcome!"

Everyone clapped, and the kids giggled. "Jaden, you're so corny it's cute," muttered Alexis through a sigh.

Rebecca grinned and struck a pose, loving the attention. She then pulled her husband into a rather tight hug. "Isn't this great, Mokuba? We're like celebrities!" she joked.

"Yeah...this is something," Mokuba answered, stunned. The room had been converted to look a bit like a movie theater, except for the fact that three of the theater-goers were in hospital beds.

"We brought popcorn and of course, the movie," Kisara smiled. "Now, Jaden, who do we give props to for getting this movie together?"

"The director and creator, ANNIE!" he grinned.

"ANNIE, ANNIE, ANNIE!" everyone cheered.

Annie blushed. "Oh, gosh!"

Violet was just barely able to reach over and punch Annie's arm playfully. "That's my best bud! I can't wait to see this!" she exclaimed, grinning.

"Here, Annie, this is for our director," Kisara said, handing the girl a hatbox. "We thought you could use something. Open it!" Annie did, and pulled out a beautiful blue beret, trimmed with white ribbon and with a white rose off to the side. Kisara helped her put it on. "What do you think?" she asked, holding up a mirror.

"Oh, wow, thank you so much," Annie exclaimed, hugging the older woman.

"You look great, Miss Director," Tristan as the Cyber Commander- minus the face gear which made Mylie nervous- said. "Right, Sailor Red Eyes?" he asked his wife.

"Yeah! Annie, you look beautiful," she added, smiling.

Syrus was also smiling. "You look really pretty in that hat, Annie..."

"Thanks, Sy! Now is everyone ready for the movie?" Annie asked.

"YEAH!" came the loud shout. Annie got out of bed and stood. "This movie combines Sailor Moon with Duel Monsters and also what I learned in Dueling History. About 12 years ago, Duel Monsters roamed the earth and caused major trouble. Some things happened among members of our heroes, and I have chosen to change those events. So sit back and relax and enjoy 'Sailor Blue Eyes: Love Conquers the Darkness!' Thank you!"

Everyone clapped, and then the lights dimmed and the movie played. It began with Mai at the island base where the DOOM gang had been headquartered. Mai's eyes widened in shock. "This is so accurate, it's scary," she whispered to Joey.

Joey was holding her hand, and squeezed it lightly. "I know. But remember that it has a happy endin,'" he whispered back.

"Yeah...it's just rough to remember how fouled up I was," she whispered.

The movie continued and Yugi's eyes widened. "Teá...I missed a lot. Yami filled me in, but...wow," he whispered as they watched.

Teá nodded, remembering how much she'd missed Yugi and truly realized just how much she cared for him. "You did miss a lot...and we all missed you so much, Yugi," she whispered.

"I know," he murmured back, glad that the kids were mesmerized. And an hour and a half passed and the movie came to the final act. The group onscreen was now in San Francisco again, and standing at the RV...

"We have to figure out how to stop this!" the nameless pharaoh said clearly.

"And just what do you suggest we do, Yugi? Duel Paradias into submission?" Seto demanded.

Kisara looked at them. "Will you two stop bickering and notice that we're sort of in the middle of the Apocalypse and we're short a Dragon Scout?"

Joey, during all of this, had surprisingly remained quiet. Ever since they'd learned that Mai had gone to the dark side, he couldn't keep his mind off of her. Joey had waited, hoping that she would snap out of it herself or they would do something. But here they were, standing around fighting, while Mai could be somewhere alone and hurt. Joey couldn't stand it any longer and finally voiced his thoughts. "Well, I'm not goin' to just stand here and talk anymore! Mai might be in trouble, and even if she's not she needs us! You guys can stay here if you want, but I'm gonna go find her and get her out of this mess!" Joey yelled, eyes filled with fiery determination as he turned on his heel and ran off. "And don't try to stop me!" he called over his shoulder.

"Wheeler, are you crazy?" Seto shouted.

"Joey!" the pharaoh called. "You can't..!"

"Don't," Tristan sighed. "He's been planning this..."

Teá looked over at him, frowning. "Tristan, you knew he was going to run off like this and didn't try to stop him?"

"Teá, I tried talking him out of it. I mean...Mai betrayed us..."

"No, she didn't, Tristan," Kisara said firmly, her eyes flashing.

"What do you call it, then, Kisara? She tried to take Joey's soul!" Tristan snarled.

"Don't talk to my girlfriend that way!" Seto growled.

"Would all of you just calm down and stop arguing?" Rebecca yelled, looking at her older friends in exasperation.

"Rebecca is right. Everyone, fighting like this will get us nowhere. No closer to rescuing your friend or defeating Paradias," Arthur Hawkins explained calmly.

Kisara nodded. "Thank you, Rebecca, Arthur. Besides, being angry like this puts us in danger if we come into contact with the Orichalcos. It feeds off darker human emotions, so we need to pull together." Kisara closed her eyes. "Teá...we are the Dragon Scouts and have connections with one another. What did you sense at Industrial Illusions from Mai?"

Teá held her frown as she thought back to that point in time, closing her eyes as well. "I...did sense a lot of dark emotions like you mentioned, Kisara. Anger...sadness...but there was one that stuck out. I think...it was loneliness?"

"Something happened to her...and whatever it was pulled her away from us. Joey can reach her...and so can we!" Kisara's own emotions stretched out to the other Dragon Scouts as civilians, in other parts of the world.

In Egypt, Ishizu Ishtar's eyes widened as she saw a live Thunder Kid bouncing by. "This is insane!" And then she sensed it. "Kisara?" She picked up her Fire Dragon transformation wand. "Powers of the Fire Dragon, take me to Kisara, Sailor Blue Eyes, the Blue Eyes Princess!" In a flash of warmth, she vanished from the streets of Cairo.

Meanwhile, in North Haverbrook, Serenity Wheeler was hiding fearfully behind a car as a live Judgeman stomped by. "What's going on?" Then, she sensed exactly what Ishizu had. "Kisara?" She pulled her Red-Eyes Black Dragon transformation wand out of her pocket. "Powers of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, take me to Kisara, Sailor Blue Eyes, the Blue Eyes Princess!" In a flash of deep red, she disappeared from North Haverbrook.

In another second, the two young women appeared in San Francisco. "What the..? Kisara! Pharaoh!" Ishizu dropped to one knee in obeisance to her Pharaoh and the princess she was sworn to help.

Serenity held a similar look of surprise, but performed a different greeting. "Kisara? Tristan? Guys, what's going on?"

"Hey, Serenity!" Duke and Tristan greeted at the same time, then glared at each other.

Kisara chose to ignore it. "I assume you've each noticed the monster invasion..."

"Yes," Ishizu answered, getting to her feet. "What in the name of the gods is going on?"

Serenity had sent a warm smile at the two boys who always seemed to fight for her attention, then looked around once more. "And where's my brother? Wasn't Joey with all of you?"

"Yeah...but Serenity...he's in trouble... and so is Mai," Kisara answered slowly. "That's why you're here. We need all the Dragon Scouts. We're looking at the end of the world..."

"Again?" Ishizu asked.

Teá sighed. "Unfortunately, yeah. Those Paradias guys seem to have that as their goal and we have to stop it from happening."

"But we'll need Mai's help. She's a Dragon Scout too," Serenity replied, frowning.

Kisara took a deep breath and put her arm around the second youngest Dragon Scout. "Serenity...Mai has joined up with them. Battle City may have dealt a more serious blow than any of us realized." Kisara quickly explained what had occurred and concluded, "Joey's gone after her...He can get through..."

Serenity was still worrying over her big brother, like any little sister would. "But...but Kisara, what about that Orichalcos seal? What if it gets him?" she asked fearfully, eyes wide.

Kisara took another breath. "I know how to disrupt it now..."

"Kisara!" Seto and the Pharaoh yelped together.

"You know what it does," the Pharaoh said, his eyes downcast, remembering Yugi's sacrifice.

"All the more reason for me to do what I need to do. I can break them both free of it."

"But...babe," Seto murmured.

"I can stop it...I can use the Blue Eyes Crystal..."

"But that will kill you!" Ishizu exclaimed. "You can't!"

"It's cool... How many times have I used this thing and not actually died? It'll be okay! Chances are something will save me before I expire. And besides, it worked for Sailor Moon," Kisara reassured them.

"Big sister," Mokuba said, worried.

"Kisara, are you sure about this?" Rebecca asked, worried like everyone else. Ever since the two of them had met, she had secretly thought of the older woman as a sort of sister.

Kisara knelt to Rebecca's level. "I'm sure, honey," she answered. Rebecca was like a little sister to Kisara and it showed. Other than the hair and freckles, the two could've been mistaken for sisters. "And I'm going to ask you to stick with the group. We're all going to transform and I'm going after them. You're all going to give me a five minute head start and then follow me. Dartz is going to send monsters that work for him and it'll be rough. So I'll blast straight through."

Ishizu understood. "But what of Dartz's captives?"

"I'll get them back...all of them." She looked straight at the Pharaoh and he nodded, understanding. Mokuba looked up at her, thinking of Alister, the boy who'd lost his brother in Bosnia.

Teá was hesitant about Kisara's plan, but knew that her friend knew what she was doing and smiled. "All right, Kisara. The Dragon Scouts will all be right behind you! Right, guys?"

"Of course we will," Serenity stated, smiling softly.

Rebecca nodded, determination filling her eyes. "Yeah! We'll stop these bad guys once and for all!"

"Then let's transform!" Kisara, still next to Rebecca, met her eyes. They each brushed the powder-blue brooches edged in silvery white that they wore.

"SUPER BLUE EYES CRISIS POWER!" they shouted. In a flash of light, the two girls were clad in blue and white sailor suits with dark blue bows at their chests, white gloves with blue cuffs and bright blue boots.

Serenity pulled out her Red-Eyes Black Dragon transformation wand again. "RED-EYES BLACK DRAGON POWER!" she called out. In a flash of fierce red light, Serenity had changed into a metallic red-black skirted sailor suit, white gloves with black and red metallic cuffs, red boots and a bright red bow and black jewel at the center of the bow.

Ishizu took her transformation wand and shouted, "FIRE DRAGON POWER!" In a flash of fiery light, the young woman changed from her Egyptian garb into a sailor suit with a bright red skirt and collar and an orange bow with a red jewel in the center and bright red kitten-heeled shoes. She, too, wore white gloves, but these had red cuffs.

And finally, Teá raised her Water Dragon transformation wand. "WATER DRAGON POWER!" she yelled. In a flash of blue light, Teá had gone from her original clothes into a sailor suit with a dark blue skirt and collar and sky blue bow with a blue jewel in the center and dark blue boots. And like the other girls, she wore white gloves but with bright blue cuffs at the elbows.

"Okay! You guys know what to do!" Kisara said quickly. The girls nodded.

"Babe," Seto called out. She stopped. "Be careful," he said, eyes conveying his worry. She nodded and ran.

She tore through the streets, following the path that Joey had. And then, an army of monster soldiers was right in front of her. She summoned her Blue Eyes Scepter, and shouted, "Blue Eyes White Lightning Elimination!"

White lightning, similar to the singular Blue Eyes attack, flew from the scepter, hitting the monsters and destroying them. And then another wave came. Sailor Blue Eyes jumped and used another White Lightning attack, blasting the monsters. Little did she know that Dartz was driving the attacks and was about to bring stronger monsters.

Back at the RV, the other Dragon Scouts counted the moments. "I wonder..." Tristan muttered and then the same monsters that were attacking Sailor Blue Eyes attacked the gang.

"OH CRAP!" Duke shouted.

"We'll handle this!" Ishizu said quickly. The boys, prepared to fight if they must, moved behind the girls.

"Professor Hawkins, stay behind us!" the Pharaoh said quickly.

Meanwhile, Ishizu's eyes narrowed. She clasped her hands together and made them like a gun. "Fire Dragon Fire Burn!" she shouted and a gout of fire burst from her finger tips, incinerating the monsters.

Serenity raised her hands high into the air as she stared down the monsters. "Red-Eyes Black Molten Fireballs!" she yelled, causing large fireballs to rain from the sky and melt the monsters.

Teá held her hands out in front of her, palms down. "Water Dragon Tsunami Wave!" she called out, causing a large wave to swell up and obliterate more of the monsters.

Finally, Rebecca turned to the remaining monsters with an attack of her own. She raised her wand and shouted, "Blue Eyes White Electric Shock!" A smaller version of Blue Eyes White Lightning fired from the tip of her wand and fried the remaining monsters.

Meanwhile, in Paradias Headquarters, Dartz smiled wickedly. "You will not stop me, Sailor Blue Eyes...Your forces are diminished. Leviathan grows stronger by the second and I can send more monsters against you! I call upon my powerful soldiers! Arise to attack Sailor Blue Eyes!"

Out in the city, another gang of monsters arose and headed to Sailor Blue Eyes. She took a deep breath and held her scepter above her head. "BLUE EYES TRIPLE ATTACK! TRIPLE NEUTRON SURGE!" An attack similar to the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon's Neutron Blast emanated from the scepter and blasted the monsters down.

Meanwhile, back at the RV, another round of monsters had been destroyed. "Guys, the five minutes are up! Let's go!" Teá called to the other Dragon Scouts before starting to run. Rebecca ran after her; there didn't seem to be anymore monsters around that might attack.

Serenity turned to the boys. "Will all of you be okay?"

Duke looked a little apprehensive. "Uh..."

"We'll be okay, as we're coming with you," Tristan said clearly. He might not have the same powers Serenity had been given, but he wouldn't let her go out into battle alone.

Duke glanced at Tristan, the Pharaoh and the Kaiba brothers and realized they were all going. "I'm going, too," he agreed.

"Mokie...you know what we have to do," Seto said.

"Right," Mokuba agreed. The two young men pulled blue roses from their pockets which glowed.

In a flash of light, they were each clad in sky-blue tuxedos with white shirts and ties. "The Blue Eyes Princes are here to defend," they said at the same time.

The Pharaoh's eyebrows raised. "Nice..."

Serenity smiled. "All right. But you have to hurry; we need to go help Kisara!" With that, she ran off after her fellow Dragon Scouts, hoping that Duke, Tristan, and the Pharaoh would be all right.

"Professor Hawkins, can you walk?" Duke asked.

"Of course I can walk! Besides, I can't let my granddaughter go off into battle without me," Arthur joked, smiling.

"Just making sure you're all right before we all head off into battle," Tristan answered, remembering what shape the old gentleman had been in when he'd returned from the "care" of the DOOM boys.

"Let's go!" Seto shouted. And so the run began...

Meanwhile, Kisara reached an empty plot of land surrounded by a chain link fence. A young man with red hair was propped up against one section and... Mai and Joey were locked in combat. "Oh, no!" the Blue Eyes White Dragon scout moaned. The Seal of Orichalcos was in play.

Joey was losing. Not only that, but he could barely find the strength to stand anymore. He'd had to duel Valon before he could duel Mai, and it had thoroughly drained him. Joey leaned over slightly, placing a hand on his knee for support. "Mai...I'm not gonna...let ya do this to yourself. Please...let me help ya..."

Mai drew. 'I can finish...I CAN'T LOSE!' her mind screamed at her. 'Not like last time...' The dark Marik's specter rose in her mind. "You can help me by losing! I can't lose again!" she shouted.

"Again...?" Joey was surprised by that, and he tried to think back on the last time Mai had lost. And then it hit him. "Mai...oh, man. What happened in Battle City...it's still affectin' ya, ain't it? And I didn't even know..."

"Can't lose," she moaned. And in the shadows, Sailor Blue Eyes watched and sensed the pain in Mai. Something in her had been awakened thanks to Marik. "What do you care?" Mai found herself shouting. "I've always been alone!"

Somehow, Joey found strength to shakily stand up straight again. "No ya haven't, Mai! What about all of us, your friends? We were there for ya...through Duelist Kindgom and Battle City," he reminded, confused.

"WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU?" she cried out, neglecting to remember that the phone and email works both ways because of the Orichalcos.

Her cry of pain stabbed at him, remembering when he couldn't help her after Marik had trapped her mind in the Shadow Realm. The strength he'd dug-up disappeared, and he fell into a kneeling position. "I tried, Mai...I tried so hard to get ya back, but it wasn't enough... I'm sorry ya were alone for so long... That's why I'm tryin' to save ya now, but-" He slammed his fist into the ground angrily. "I'm just too weak! No matter how hard I try, I always seem to be fallin' short of helpin' the people I love...like you, Mai... I'm sorry..."

They were in the last turn. Kisara could see it. "I'm going to finish this!" Mai shouted. "Harpy's Ladies, att..." Joey was defenseless and she could finish him by attacking directly. But even in the heat of the Orichalcos, her own memories came to her. Joey, standing up to Panik...saving her from that creep Jean-Claude Magnum...trying to save her from Marik and the Winged Dragon of Ra. "I can't do this!" she said in shock. But it was enough. And then...Joey began to collapse.

His vision had been blurring around the edges, but he'd ignored it as he'd tried to focus on talking to Mai. Now, Joey could feel himself falling, and quickly put out his hands to support himself a few moments longer. "Mai, I...I can't...continue..."he managed to say before fully collapsing onto the pavement.

"JOEY!" Mai shrieked as the Seal began to contract. Kisara tensed, knowing this was it. Meanwhile... "Joey, you can't give up!" Mai yelped, catching him and cradling him in her arms. "I can't let this happen to you! You've been nothing but...more than a friend and how have I repaid you? With anger..." She was sobbing, knowing that Joey was about to be taken from her.

Joey, on the verge of unconsciousness, heard every word. He weakly managed to take her hand, smiling a little. "No, Mai...you were just confused... I knew the real you...was in there... Don't cry..."

Kisara knew now was the time and ran forward. "BLUE EYES CRYSTAL, DISRUPT THE SEAL!" she shouted, running into it and shoving them out.

"What?" Mai yelped as she and Joey broke through the Seal's barrier. They crashed to the ground.

Joey, still exhausted but awake, looked over at the seal in confusion. "Who...? Is that...Kisara?"

"SAILOR BLUE EYES, DON'T!" Mai shouted.

"It's all right, Mai! Transform!"

"I CAN'T!" the golden blonde yelled back.

Understanding the situation, Joey slid his hand over Mai's. "Yeah, Mai...you can... Just try..."

"I haven't been able to," Mai cried.

Meanwhile, Sailor Blue Eyes grunted under the power of the Seal just as the gang arrived. "SOUL RELEASE!" the Blue Eyes Scout shouted. There was a flash as a blue light came from the activated Blue Eyes Crystal and several flashes of light appeared. Something in the crystal had summoned some of the souls Dartz had trapped. There were flashes of light around the field and at the end of the field...

"What the bloody hell?" Valon Kidman muttered, coming around.

Next to him, four figures materialized. "Okay...uh...where are we? Last I remember, I was dueling the Pharaoh on top of a train!" Weevil Underwood said, stunned, realizing that his soul was back in his body.

"And I was dueling that loser Joey!" Rex Raptor added, confused.

Alister glanced at his fellow DOOM companions in obvious surprise. "Rafael? Valon? Either of you know how in the world we got out of that mess?" he asked, hoping they'd have an answer.

"Um...no," Rafael answered. "I don't know how I got here, but I was waiting where Master Dartz told me to be. He said that someone would fight me..." His blue eyes met Valon's. "Dartz didn't care about you...or you, Alister..."

"No...he's scum," Valon growled.

"You can say that again," Alister agreed, arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh, my. What in the world am I doing here?" This time it was none other than Maximilian Pegasus who had spoken, the most confused out of all of them. "Uh...I was in my office and Mai Valentine..."

"I'm sorry!" Mai yelled. "All of you!"

Valon looked at her. "Nothin' to forgive, Mai! I was a jerk! I should've done the right thing and asked if you had friends..."

Now that he was out of the seal, Joey felt his strength slowly returning thanks to Hermos and Red-Eyes Black Dragon. But he still wouldn't be in a sitting position if Mai hadn't been holding him. "He's right, Mai. We're all jus' glad you're back. Ya got nothin' to say sorry for."

She hugged Joey close. "But..." And then one of the orbs of light flew to an alleyway near the enclosed field.

In the alleyway stood four figures in sailor suits and five other figures in pants. The orb settled on the figure with spiky tri-colored hair. "Yugi..." the nameless Pharaoh gasped.

Teá instantly turned to look at the floating orb, eyes wide. "Yugi?"

The orb of light made contact with the Pharaoh's skin and was absorbed into his body and... "Teá?" Yugi Muto asked, stunned.

A smile flickered onto the Dragon Scout's face, and in less than a second her arms were wrapped around him in a tight hug. "Yugi! You're back! You're really back..."

Ishizu's eyes widened. "Welcome back, Yugi...We have..."

Yugi, still holding onto Teá like a life preserver, caught the scene. "Oh, no! Teá, what's...What did I miss?"

"A lot...Yugi, you've been gone for a long time..." Teá began. She quickly told him the gist of what had happened while he was gone.

"No..." Yugi moaned.

Kisara, Sailor Blue Eyes, appeared to be physically pushing back the Seal. It was trying to push at her. "YOU WON'T WIN!" the white blonde Dragon Scout shouted. "MAI! TRANSFORM!" she yelled.

Mai pulled out her transformation wand and shouted, with tears now streaming down her face, "HARPY'S DRAGON POWER!"

"What the..?" Valon yelped as a golden warm light flared around Mai.

Joey fell back onto his elbows, but was smiling. "I knew ya could still do it, Mai..."

If one could see the transformation slowed down, one would see the blonde girl now as a being of pure light. Her typical outfit had disappeared and she was quickly clad in a gymnast's leotard that had a purple sailor suit collar and a lavender bow with an amethyst jewel clasping it together. Then she was given a pair of white gloves with purple cuffs and purple strappy shoes. And then her purple skirt appeared on her and a tiara on her head with a purple jewel in the center. When the light flash that the group saw dissipated, she was again Sailor Harpy's Dragon.

Just then, Sailor Blue Eyes shoved hard and the Seal of Orichalcos trembled and shook. "What?" the group gasped.

"ORICHALCOS BE GONE!" Kisara shouted, and the Seal shattered like a cheap dinner plate.

Serenity, who had been worrying over her friend, was relieved to see that Kisara wouldn't have her soul taken. She now focused on her brother and Mai, quickly running over to them. "Mai, Joey! I'm so glad that you're both okay!" she called, kneeling on the ground to hug her brother.

Mai knelt too. "Serenity...I...how can either of you even look at me? After what I did?"

Kisara was on her knees, trembling for a moment. And then..."Oh, crap..." Rafael groaned as a thing with frightening eyes appeared in the sky.

Joey looked over at her. "Mai, I already told ya...you were just confused and kept your feelin's inside. The real you didn't' realize what ya were doin'."

Serenity nodded. "My brother's right, Mai. Neither of us are mad at you for what you did."

Mai hugged them both and then everyone heard Rafael's exclamation. "Uh...Rex?" Weevil asked.

"Yeah, Weevil?" Rex asked back, looking over at his rival.

"I think that's Leviathan."

"Yeah...what was the bloody clue?" Valon asked.

"Oh, man..." Rex groaned, looking up at the behemoth in the sky.

Alister sighed. "Great. We manage to get back to the real world and we're all going to die anyway."

"Not if I can help it!" Kisara shouted. The Blue Eyes compact she wore released the Blue Eyes Crystal.

"NO, KISARA!" Seto shouted. "It'll kill you!" She took the crystal and it floated in front of her and followed her hands. She lifted the crystal high above her head and there was a flash of light. She was no longer wearing her sailor outfit, but was clad in a blue empire-waist gown with puffed short sleeves.

"Kisara!" Mai, Ishizu, Serenity, Teá, and Rebecca all called out at once.

"Don't do it!" Rebecca yelled, worried for her surrogate big sister.

"I have no choice," the Blue Eyes Princess muttered. "Blue Eyes Crystal, protect us! In the name of the good in this world!" she shouted, activating the crystal's full power.

"KISARA!" Seto shouted as the crystal shot a white light at Leviathan.

Yugi's eyes widened. "NO!"

Seeing that it was too late to stop Kisara; Teá, Rebecca, Serenity, Ishizu and Mai ran over so that they were only a few feet away. "Kisara!" Rebecca called.

"Be strong!" Serenity shouted.

"We're with you!" Teá added.

"Blue Eyes Princess!" Mai shouted.

"Kisara!" Ishizu added. Seto stood there, eyes wide.

"Big sister!" Mokuba shouted.

Kisara grunted with the sheer strength of the crystal and she called out to it. "I ask you to help me save them! This world deserves a chance! They all do!"

Valon's eyes widened. "After all we did...she wants to save us all..."

Seto stood tall and transformed so that he was wearing a knight's outfit. Mokuba transformed as well. "We gotta help," the small boy asserted.

"Come on! She needs us!" Rebecca shouted, determination filling her bespectacled eyes.

"Dragon Scouts, we'll strengthen her with our friendship!" Teá said seriously.

"Right! Kisara needs us!" Serenity replied in agreement.

"Together we can stop this thing!" Mai agreed.

Ishizu nodded. "We must protect the Princess!"

Seto headed to Kisara's side, knowing she'd need him. And Mokuba looked at the guys. "We can help too! Everybody get in a line!" he directed the boys, taking Pegasus's hand and Alister's as well.

"Mokuba?" Pegasus asked.

"We can give her our power!" the little boy asserted quickly.

Yugi grabbed Joey's hand. "You okay to do this, Joey?" he asked.

Joey grinned weakly at his friend. "Yeah, of course I'm okay to do this! Kisara needs our help and I got some power left to offer too, ya know... It's good to see ya back, Yuge...we all missed ya."

'I missed you too, aibou,' Yami sent through their mind link. Yugi smiled and got in line next to Joey.

Weevil looked at Rex. "We're helping the goody-goodies?" he scowled.

Rex rolled his eyes and punched Weevil's arm. "Of course we are, Weevil! Do you WANT to get eaten by a giant...sea...thing?" he growled angrily.

"No...but that thing could give us POWER!"

The dino-duelist face-palmed in exasperation and shoved his rival into the line. "Look, I really don't think that thing wants to give us power! It wants to DESTROY us! So just get in line already!"

"Okay, okay! Geez..." the bug duelist groaned, taking Rex's hand, hoping that no paparazzi were around. He hung around with this dino brain enough that there were...rumors.

Meanwhile, Rafael muttered to Professor Hawkins, "If we don't get out of this...I'm sorry..."

Arthur shook his head as he took his ex-captor's hand, both men joining the line. "You don't need to be sorry about what's happening right now. This is all Dartz's doing, is it not? He's the one who wishes to destroy the world."

"Yeah, but I went along with it," the big blonde duelist groaned softly.

"Mate, will you stop blamin' yourself and just concentrate?" Valon pointed out as all the guys clasped hands.

"Okay!"

"Guess I have things to make up for as well," Pegasus sighed.

"Uh...didn't you already?" Yugi asked, concentrating. In front of the boys, Seto as the Blue Eyes Knight supported the Blue Eyes Princess. He gave her a soft smile, and behind them, the girls clasped hands.

Dartz, still in his palace headquarters, cackled madly. "Oh, how cute! Will friendship save the day, Sailor Blue Eyes? I think not!" He used his own power to send a blast from Leviathan, and Kisara staggered.

"NO! YOU WON'T WIN!" she shouted. Kisara looked at the people behind her and the young man next to her. 'My friends... My love… I know they're all here with me, and with them, I cannot fail.' And then she shouted loudly, "We are dragon power!"

"Water Dragon Power!" Teá shouted.

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon Power!" Serenity yelled.

"Mini-Blue-Eyes White Dragon Power!" Rebecca shouted. As each Dragon Scout called out their dragon power, the jewels on their bows and tiaras glowed brightly.

"Fire Dragon Power!" Ishizu added as her own jewels glowed brightly.

"Harpy's Dragon Power!" Mai shouted.

"Legendary Dragon Power!" Seto, Yugi and Joey shouted, lending their own power.

"Blue Eyes Crystal Power!" Kisara shouted. The crystal flared and before Leviathan shattered, millions of glowing orbs, the souls of all those trapped by the great monster, were released and returned from whence they came. Leviathan was destroyed, and then Kisara grunted and the Blue Eyes Crystal shattered. Kisara went limp and fell backwards, dead.

"NO!" Seto screamed.

"KISARA!" The Dragon Scouts screamed, standing and running over to her immobile form and the two Kaiba brothers. They gave Seto space, but still stayed close. When they all saw and realized that Kisara's last breath had left her, the tears came.

"Kisara...no...you can't be dead," Rebecca whimpered, falling to her knees.

Seto tried CPR, but somehow he knew she was beyond his reach. "Big brother," Mokuba moaned, tears in his eyes, "she's..." Pegasus looked down with sadness in his eyes, knowing the hell Seto was now going through.

Mai knelt as Rebecca had and shook Kisara's still form by the shoulders. "Wake up! Wake up, Kisara! You stopped Leviathan and saved everybody! Just wake up!" But Kisara was beyond reach, and Mai moaned, "No...You said everything would be all right!" She stood up and threw herself into Joey's arms. "This is all my fault! She'd still be here if I hadn't..."

Joey held her close, tears in his own eyes. "No, Mai...none of this is your fault and you know it. Kisara wouldn't want you to start blamin' yourself," he soothed. Mai started sobbing hard.

"Kisara...please just open your eyes," Ishizu pleaded. "Don't leave us now," she murmured, kneeling close.

Teá and Serenity were both crying, kneeling next to Ishizu. "Kisara, you can't leave like this...not after we've finally beaten them," Teá said, not wanting to believe her friend was dead.

"You sacrificed yourself to save everyone...but you deserve to live too!" Serenity sobbed, face buried in her hands.

The DOOM boys were standing in shock. And Weevil Underwood, for possibly the first time in a long time, felt a pang of conscience. His selfish lust for power may have led to this. "Poor thing," Valon murmured. Rafael could only stand in silence, knowing what it was like to lose someone. And Seto, holding Kisara's dead body, hovered between numb and wanting to scream to the heavens.

All of the guys were openly crying. "Pharaoh," Yugi cried in his mind, "this can't be happening."

The nameless Pharaoh also was crying, "No...she should've lived..."

And then, three familiar figures materialized close to the group. A little girl with ruddy brown hair and brown eyes, an elderly yet strong man in armor with an iron gray beard and a young looking man with aqua hair and gray eyes took in the scene. "We can save her, Pharaoh," the little girl, Chris, said gently. "Father, Grandpa, can't we?"

The older man, Ironheart, nodded. "Yes, we can, Chris. Son, we must summon the Life Flower of Atlantis..."

Dartz, the younger man and former king of Atlantis, nodded and extended his hands. "We summon the Life Flower of Atlantis, that this girl might live."

"And that those who love her might keep her close," Chris intoned, also extending and raising her hands.

"And that she fully lives out her life here on Earth," Ironheart finished, raising his hands to complete the circle.

Between the three, an orb of light appeared, glowing golden and when the light faded, a flower appeared between the three. It was blue and white and looked like a cross between a Chinese hibiscus and an asphodel. Chris took it. "Seto, kiss the flower and then Kisara. The nectar from this flower will give her back her life."

Without hesitation, Seto did it. The broken brooch that Sailor Blue Eyes wore reformed and the shattered crystal returned to the brooch. Teá's tear-filled eyes widened, along with the other Dragon Scouts. "The crystal! It's whole again!" Rebecca gasped. Mai and Ishizu gasped and the boys couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Rex?" Weevil whispered, eyes wide.

"Yeah, Weevil?" Rex whispered back, eyes the size of dinner plates.

"This is amazing," the bug duelist whispered. The three Atlantians smiled and disappeared as Kisara stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled. "We saved Earth?" she asked, looking into her beloved's eyes.

"Yeah," Seto whispered back, hardly daring to believe she was back.

For a moment, everything was still with shock, then Rebecca had her arms around Kisara too. "Kisara! You're alive!"

Kisara hugged back weakly. "Without all of you, I never could've held on until the very end. So...can you believe me when I say it'll be all right?" Seto nodded with tears in his eyes. And Kisara looked up at the Dragon Scout in the purple outfit. "Welcome back, Mai..." She held open an arm and Mai knelt to hug her, and then Ishizu.

Teá and Serenity didn't hesitate to join the group hug, tears of sadness becoming tears of joy in an instant. "We're so glad that you're okay, Kisara!" Serenity said, smiling. Within seconds, there was a huge group hug and everyone knew everything was okay now. The Leviathan had been destroyed, the souls were returned, and the world was safe at last.

The movie ended with a song known as "The Power of Love." Everyone gave the teen director a standing ovation. Mai was actually in tears. "Your final product was amazing, Annie. Wasn't it, Joey?"

Joey had one of his biggest grins plastered onto his face. "Yeah! That was amazing, Annie!" he exclaimed happily. Barbara sighed, rubbing her temple. Alan Haverbrook had just proved that he could, indeed, fall asleep during every movie they ever tried to watch.

"Thanks, guys...I hoped you liked how it was different..."

"You made my mom a superhero!" Noah said in shock.

"That was amazing how the Orichalcos shook and broke up when it came into contact with the power of the Blue Eyes Crystal," Yugi said, amazed. "I'm sure that wasn't how it happened."

"That was still cool, Annie! Wasn't it, Dad? Huh? Oh, Dad," Violet groaned, seeing that he'd fallen asleep. She sent Bobby a look, and he turned to his father's sleeping form. "Ahem. WAKE UP DAD!"

Alan woke abruptly. "GET THOSE MONSTERS, SAILOR BLUE EYES! Oh, did I nod off?"

"Yeah, Daddy, you fell asleep!" Haylee said indignantly.

All of the Haverbrooks had anger marks somewhere on their heads. "It never fails, does it?" asked Violet. Barbara sighed.

"No, and yet we're still surprised when he does it," she replied.

"Every single movie," muttered Bobby.

"It's okay!" Annie said. "Don't worry, Alan, someday you'll manage to stay awake and see the whole thing."

"Yeah...that was cool, Annie," Zane said. "What other alternates do you have?"

"Uh...Star Wars..." Everyone grinned. They had dinner and the party broke up.

"Sy has permission to stay tonight," Will Truesdale said when bedtime came.

Syrus smiled happily and hugged his father. "Thanks, Dad!" he replied cheerfully.

Violet would have said some witty remark, but she was already asleep. "We'll see you guys tomorrow, all right?" stated Darla, smiling.

Bastion, by now the only patient awake, nodded. "Yes, thank you, Darla...good night, everyone..." And he, too, feel asleep.

_Quite a long chapter…Anyway, we hope you enjoyed it and that you will join us next time for "Meetings and Separation." Until next time, please read and review and stay tuned!_


	62. Meetings and Separation

Chapter LXII: Meetings and Separation

_Hello, everyone and welcome back to _Summer Love, Summer Fears_! We're so glad you didn't mind the extra long chapter with the Sailor Blue Eyes movie in it and we're pleased you enjoyed the movie! Anyway, as always, we're pleased and honored to get your reviews. This story may be on Peach's account, but all of your reviews get forwarded to 15animefreak15! So both of us see your reviews!_

_Recap: Annie got back in the hospital thanks to Slade and Jagger's goons and got a new haircut because of it. Sy beat the living daylights out of one of the goons and the next evening, the gang, old and new, along with several kids and Violet's family, watched "Sailor Blue Eyes: Love Conquers the Darkness," Annie's movie based on Sailor Moon and what she referred to as the Orichalcos Crisis. Everyone loved the movie and the three sick kids in the hospital room went to sleep. So what's next for our gang? Read and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: In addition to the stuff we've already established we do and do not own, we also don't own Loder's Shake Shoppe or a Jack and Jill. **_

_**Warning: Mentions of pranking and of Dr. Crowler in different outerwear that may horrify you… Thank you.**_

The next few days passed quickly and soon it was Saturday, a week since Violet had entered the hospital with Bastion. And today, Scout removed Violet's outer stitches. "You'll have a scar right below your ribcage, honey, but it will fade eventually."

"What about mine?" Annie asked, worried.

"Yours will fade, too, Annie, but it will be hidden by your hair when it grows back...You'll have your stitches removed in Seattle, okay?"

Annie sighed. "Okay..."

Violet poked the spot where the stitches had been; it was still a little sore, but felt a lot better. "So, does this mean I can leave now?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, you'll all be discharged together and tomorrow, you're all flying home, right?" Annie nodded happily.

"Hooray! So....no rough-housing, I know. But, can I get out of this bed and stretch my legs?"

"Yes you can, honey. Now, are you staying with your family at the Kaibas or at the Misawas tonight?"

Violet had just started to eagerly move towards the edge of the bed when the question hit her. "Oh, uh...I hadn't really thought about that," she mumbled, frowning. 'What should I do?' she thought.

At that moment, Alan poked his head through the door. "How's my little girl doing, Scout?"

"Her stitches are out and you can come on in...I was just asking where she would be staying tonight..."

"Oh...Violet, honey, you can stay at the mansion with us or stay at the Misawas one last night...you can choose...we'll have you at home for the rest of the summer..."

Violet sighed and fell back against the mattress, weighing the advantages of each option. Finally, she sat back up, and in one fluid motion sprang to her feet. "I choose the Misawas since this is probably the last night I'll be staying with them!" She then wobbled and sat back on the bed, sweat-dropping. "Heh…been a while since I used my legs..."

Alan and Scout helped her stay on her feet. "Just take it slowly, honey," Scout said.

"It's all right, Violet..." Alan soothed. "Just one step at a time..."

Violet sighed again, having always been rather impatient. "Fine, fine..." Violet did as they said and took one step at a time, managing to make it all the way across the room.

"If I may?" Bastion asked, getting out of his own bed and walking easily across the room to Violet. "Darling, may I assist you?"

Violet blinked. "Of course you can, Bastion-baby! It'll be so nice to hug you normally instead of that awkward bed-hug."

"All right, then." He bowed politely to Alan and took Violet's hand. "Just lean on me...When you're stronger, there is something I would love to do with you...if you wouldn't mind putting on a beautiful gown, of course..."

She'd taken another step forward, and would have face-planted had he not been holding her. "What?! Bastion-baby, what in the name of Watapon are you talking about??"

"I'd love to take you ballroom dancing," he said, flushing slightly.

Violet blinked in surprise yet again. "Ballroom dancing? Well, uh, you could try. But...when it comes to that kind of dancing I have two right feet," she replied, blushing. Bastion had an image of Violet in a lovely ball gown, dancing in his arms. So maybe it wasn't grounded in reality, but a guy can dream.

While Bastion was busy daydreaming, he'd allowed Violet to take a step or two away from him. On her third step she wobbled, and realized he'd stopped. "B-Bastion-" Her face met the white tile of the hospital room. "Ow..."

"Oh, dear, Violet! I'm so sorry..." Bastion was down immediately on the ground helping her up. Scout was down too along with Alan.

"Violet, are you okay, honey?" Alan asked.

Violet was helped to her feet, face a little red from the landing. "Oooh...yeah, haven't done that in a while. Doesn't mean I'm not used to it. What made you space-out like that?"

"I was...daydreaming about us," Bastion's face was bright red. "I assure you, Alan that it was G-rated..." Annie started giggling.

Violet blushed as well. "Well, uh, that's good to know, Bastion. Was it about the ballroom dancing?"

"Yes, it was..." Bastion admitted.

"Well, maybe that can happen," Kisara Kaiba said, coming into the room. "We have a ballroom at our house, Violet. Maybe you and the Misawas would like to come over for dinner this evening..."

"Really? Thanks, Kisara! What do you think, Bastion-baby?" Violet asked excitedly.

"I...would be honored. I'll have to ask Mum and Dad, though..." Bastion said.

"Well, can we leave the hospital now, Scout?"

Alan looked at his daughter. "Honey, calm down...I don't think you want to leave until you're dressed right, do you?" She was in the hospital issue pajamas.

Violet blinked and glanced at her outfit, a blush coming over her cheeks. "Oh, right, heh...I guess I forgot," she replied.

"No worries..." Alan said, handing his daughter a bag of clothes.

"You can get dressed." Kisara smiled. "Sy, you can help Annie get dressed, okay?"

Sy had been sitting silently in a chair, patiently waiting. "Oh, okay. Uh, Violet, you can use the bathroom first if you want," he replied, smiling.

Violet grinned. "Thanks, Sy!" Violet went into the bathroom, and about five minutes later came back out fully dressed. Her hair was back up in its ponytail and she wore a burgundy T-shirt, blue jean capris, and brown flip-flops. "Ah, it feels great to be in normal clothes again and have my hair up!"

"Bastion, do you want to go next?" Annie asked.

"No, ladies first," he answered.

"All right." Annie headed to the bathroom, Sy trailing behind her. Annie emerged from the bathroom a short time later with a pair of dark blue cotton shorts, a sky-blue t-shirt, white socks and sneakers. She also wore the blue beret that Kisara had given her. "Okay, Bastion! All yours!"

Bastion strode into the bathroom and emerged dressed in a dark green polo shirt and khaki shorts. He was also wearing fancy leather flip-flops. "Is this all right?" he asked.

Violet got a mischievous look in her eyes, and then Whistled at him. "Cute!"

Bastion flushed. "Violet, you're making your boyfriend blush," Alan teased his daughter.

Violet giggled. "That's because he's cute when he blushes!" she replied, grinning.

Annie, meanwhile, tapped her fingers together and asked Sy, "Do I...look okay?" she asked hesitantly.

Syrus smiled. "You look great, Annie! That beret looks really nice on you."

Annie blushed. "Even with the short hair?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It doesn't look bad at all, Annie."

Annie blushed. And then, in less than an hour, they left the hospital. "YAY!!!" Annie cheered at the top of her lungs in the limo. "I WANT ICE CREAM!"

Violet grinned and joined in. "ME, TOO!! ICE CREAM!!!" she shouted. Syrus sweat-dropped.

"Oh, what the heck!" Bastion said. "I BLOODY WANT ICE CREAM!!"

Violet was giggling at this, and Syrus decided he might as well do it, too. "I WANT ICE CREAM!!!"

Annie picked up the phone in the limo and asked the driver to take them to an ice cream shop. "My treat, guys, this is a celebration."

"Annie, are you sure?" Bastion asked.

"Yeah, that's a lot of ice cream," added Syrus.

Violet sweat-dropped. "I know I'm broke. Heh…"

"It's cool!" Annie grinned happily as they pulled up to the Dreamery Creamery, the best ice cream shop in the city. Kisara had told Annie about it and the teen girl had wanted to try it. It was good to have friends to share the treat with. "We're going to have fun. They do mix-ins and great sundaes!" she said. "Get what you want!" Bastion ordered the shop's signature waffle cone sundae. Annie ordered the shop's chocolate cherry brownie ice cream with heavy fudge sauce. Syrus went for a classic strawberry, vanilla, chocolate ice cream banana split.

"Hey guys? Do they have a Jack and Jill here??" Violet asked.

"A...Jack and Jill?" Annie wondered.

"Oh, Violet has introduced me to those, Annie," Bastion said. "They're a sundae topped with hot fudge and melted marshmallows..." He looked at the menu. "Violet, you can customize and they have melted marshmallow as a topping!"

"You didn't tell me about these...or the concussion made me forget," Annie sighed.

"No, don't worry, I forgot to tell you about them. The concussion had nothing to do with it!" Violet replied, smiling. "Anyway, then I'll get the sundae with hot fudge and melted marshmallows! It'll be just like back home at the Shake Shoppe."

And so, the four kids sat down and enjoyed their ice cream. "Oh, my, this is incredible..." Bastion said, eyes closed in pleasure.

"Yeah," Annie said. "This is better than a Star Trek marathon..."

"This is better than figuring out a difficult equation," Bastion added.

Violet and Syrus glanced at each other, then burst out laughing. "You guys are so funny! I think this is better than that mud fight Bastion-baby and I had," she stated mischievously.

Syrus blinked. "Wait, what??"

Bastion blushed. Annie stared. "Oh, is that why you had all that mud on you when you came in the infirmary? Did you not tell me something?" she teased wickedly.

Violet realized exactly what she'd said, and nearly choked on her spoon. "Oh! Uh, well, see...heh..."she muttered, blushing.

Syrus grinned just as wickedly as his girlfriend. "And what was with the leaves? Did the fight go into the forest??"

"Well...er," Bastion stammered. "Oh, bugger, bugger, bugger." His face was now Slifer red.

Violet pouted and sent a playful glare at her friends. "Oh yeah? Well, Miss Fontaine told me about your little 'cuddle,'" she countered. Now it was Syrus's turn to blush.

"Meh...we had to deal with Dr. Crowler," Annie shrugged. "Remember, Sy?"

"Yeah. That wasn't fun," he replied, sweat-dropping.

"You mentioned how he went temporarily insane," Bastion said drily. "Who talked him down?"

"Miss Fontaine, believe it or not...She told him that we were both good students and that Sy stayed with me so I wouldn't be scared," Annie explained. "Nobody told us anything about the dirt fight...you didn't talk, Violet...why?"

"Curse you and your nosiness, Annie. For your information we had a simple dirt fight, I tripped, and we fell asleep in the bushes." Violet explained crisply, though she was blushing.

Annie giggled. "I was just teasing, Violet. Couldn't resist. Like you couldn't resist imitating Doctor Crowler's reaction after the hair incident..."

"Yes, that was priceless...Oddly, he talked about 'going green,' but that is not what he meant, I'd wager," Bastion said thoughtfully.

Violet grinned triumphantly; it had taken Crowler weeks to get that dye out. "One of my better prank ideas," she replied. Syrus smiled and laughed a little at the memory of Crowler with green hair.

Annie snickered. "But who'd have thought that Zane of all people would've loaded Dr. Crowler's drawers with boy shorts?!"

They cracked up at that one. "If only I'd thought of that sooner! It's genius!!" giggled Violet.

And then, Bastion's expression turned fearful. "Yeah, I know...wait, he's standing right behind us, isn't he, Bastion?" Annie asked. Bastion slowly nodded.

Syrus silently "eep'd", turning to send a sheepish grin up at the teacher. "D-Doctor Crowler! Uh, hi," he mumbled nervously. Violet sweat-dropped, but didn't show any other fearful emotion. She'd stared Zane down, and so she could do the same with Crowler.

"Hello, kids." He wasn't wearing his school clothes. Rather, he was wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt with bright red flowers all over it and khaki Bermuda-length shorts. That latter fashion move proved to the world that Vellian Crowler had bony legs.

"Uh, Dr. Crowler, what a pleasant surprise," Annie said politely. "Won't you sit down, sir?"

"Certainly," he answered.

They made room and he sat down, Syrus nervously twiddling his thumbs under the table. 'Oh man, oh man, oh man!' he thought. Violet was sitting cross-legged on her seat, completely calm for once.

Annie reached and squeezed Sy's hand, trying to reassure him. "Hello, Dr. Crowler," Bastion added politely.

"Bastion, Violet, Syrus, Annie, how has your summer been going so far?" the teacher asked.

"Er...it's been...rather eventful, sir," Bastion answered. "A few of us have spent time in hospital."

"I saw on the news that Chazz Prince...sorry, Rhodes now, right?..was, but have any of the rest of you?" he asked, concerned.

"Uh, Annie was, sir. Twice," answered Syrus, Annie's reassurance getting to him.

"Bastion and I were, too. Just got out," Violet added.

Crowler looked at them. While he might've gotten angry at the pranking, that was now secondary. "What happened?"

Annie gripped Sy's hand a little tighter. "Violet had her spleen removed, sir, because she had mono and Bastion had a case of strep throat..."

"But what about you, Annie? Why were you there twice? And what happened to your hair?"

"This is because of Chazz's ex-family. The last time I went in the hospital was a week ago because those morons, pardon me, thought they could send hired goons for revenge. But...the first time..." Annie trailed off, unable to say anything.

Syrus frowned, and this time gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Can you tell them, Annie? Or do you want me to??" he whispered.

"You," she whispered back.

"Well, uh, see...we found out that Annie has a heart condition. That's why she used to faint a lot back at the academy, sir..."

"A heart condition?" Dr. Crowler asked. "Is...is it serious?"

Annie nodded, all of it hitting her again. "I'm on medication, but..." Her eyes teared up again. "Sy..."

He hugged her, and Violet decided she should probably take over. "If she over-exerts herself too much, she can have a heart attack..."

"Oh, my...will...will you be able to come back to the Academy?" Crowler asked, looking worried.

"I hope so...I don't want to leave Sy..." Annie said.

Crowler's eyebrow raised. "I take it you two are pretty serious then?"

"Yes, sir," Annie said with a smile, relieved the teacher had changed the subject.

"And...Violet, that's a lovely necklace...a Watapon, isn't it?"

Violet grinned. "Yup! Bastion gave it to me as an engagement present!!" she replied cheerfully.

"En..gage...ment?" Crowler asked in surprise.

"Yes, Dr. Crowler, we're to be married, but not until after we get out of school," Bastion explained.

"Then congratulations are in order," the tall man said, reaching to shake Bastion and Violet's hands. "What about you two?" he asked Annie and Sy.

Annie blushed. "Sy hasn't asked me yet."

"I'm, uh, just waiting for the perfect moment is all," Sy stated, blushing.

Annie smiled. Crowler looked a bit surprised. "Any more pleasant news?"

"Yes, sir...Rosa and Tyson are engaged," Annie said happily.

"Tyson...oh, yes, Hassleberry...I keep thinking of his last name..."

"It took us forever to get used to calling him by his actual name," Bastion admitted.

"So they're engaged. What about...dare I ask?" Crowler said, nervous.

Annie, Sy, Violet and Bastion grinned. "Yes, sir, Jaden and Alexis are engaged as well," Bastion answered.

The Vellian Crowler of two years previously would have flipped out, but this Vellian Crowler wouldn't. "Not unexpected...So what else will you be doing this summer besides recovering from what...Syrus, is that a bruise on you?"

Syrus blinked, then remembered the punch he'd gotten in the fight. "Uh, yeah, sir. I got hit during the fight where Annie got hurt..."

"Was that before or after she got hurt, may I ask?"

"Uh, before, sir..."

"Now, I heard a report that one of the thugs that attacked you all required medical attention. Who took that guy down?"

"Er..." Bastion said.

"Uh...Sy did, sir...He was defending me," Annie said shyly. "Sy, tell him..."

Syrus blushed with slight embarrassment. "Well, uh, he called Annie a really bad name, sir. And then he hit her. I kinda got mad...and ended up breaking his nose, jaw, and some of his teeth..."

"Oh, my," Dr. Crowler said. "Remind me never to get you mad, young man. I'm proud of you, Syrus..."

"Uh, thanks, sir," the boy mumbled.

They chatted, surprisingly comfortably for some time while Dr. Crowler and they finished their ice cream. "Well, I'd best be going. Enjoy your last day here," he said as he left.

"Good bye, Dr. Crowler," they called after him.

"Man, that was weird," Annie said.

Syrus nodded. "I've never seen him outside of school before." he replied.

Violet grinned. "At least he wasn't mad about the hair dye and underwear!"

"That was quite interesting," Bastion added. "Annie, any ideas why he didn't?"

"Hmmm..." Annie thought a moment. "Maybe he has a better sense of humor than we thought...or he's planning something..."

"Oh, come on! What could he possibly be planning?" replied Violet, smirking.

"Well, we are talking about the man who wrote a love letter..."

"Ew," Bastion groaned.

Violet gagged. "Oh, right. I remember that," she groaned, glancing at Syrus.

He blushed. "I can't believe they took me hostage..."

"Yeah...me neither," Annie said. "We were a little shocked to see a guy on our turf...but seeing Crowler in that wetsuit...not pleasant...How did Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine miss that?"

Bastion looked at the beret-clad Obelisk girl in shock, his eyebrow raised. "Are you serious?"

"Yup...I saw him, but a lot of other girls didn't...very traumatic sight, that..."

"Then I'm glad that I missed it. Just seeing him in that Hawaiian shirt and shorts was bad enough," Violet joked, grinning.

"Yeah...could've been worse though," Annie said.

"How could it have been worse?" Bastion queried.

"He could've been wearing a Speedo..."

Syrus' jaw dropped, and Violet's eyes widened. "Oh...my," she muttered.

"Ar...that be replacin' the white whale in me nightmares," Annie said in a pirate voice.

"Huh?" everyone else asked.

"Uh...I was channeling the sea captain from The Simpsons," Annie said, blushing. They finished their ice creams and headed to the Kaiba mansion for dinner.

As promised, Kisara had the ballroom ready for the couples to dance. "I even have ball gowns and tuxedos, boys," she said cheerfully after dinner.

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned.

"Well, maybe we should get properly dressed?" Bastion suggested.

"Oh...yeah!" Annie said. The three boys headed into one room of tuxedos, while the girls went into a room of ball gowns.

"Oh, my..." Annie said, amazed. "What the Fairy Godmother might've done...we get to pick these!"

"Wow! They're beautiful!!" gasped Alexis. She picked up a sky blue dress with a silk corset, lacey sleeves and a lacey bottom.

"I don't know which to pick!" stated Violet.

Annie picked a sleeveless midnight blue dress that complemented her blue beret and then she selected a pair of sparkling kitten-heeled shoes.

"Hel-lo, what have we here?" Violet muttered, pulling out a dress near the bottom. It was a pale lavender halter-top dress that went to the ankle on one side and the knee on the other. It came with matching gloves that went up to the elbows.

"Oh, wow! Violet, that'll look great on you!" Annie squealed. "Let's find shoes for you two! I hope the boys are having as good of luck as we are!"

Meanwhile, in the other room, Syrus was nervously looking through the tuxedos, not exactly sure what to choose. Atticus was already trying to find shoes that would match the burgundy tuxedo he'd chosen with a red bow tie.

"Oh, cool!" Jaden said happily, pulling a blue tuxedo from the hung up clothes. "This'll look great! Won't it, Bastion? Bastion?"

Bastion was looking at himself in the mirror, having tried on a classic black and white tuxedo. "Bond...James Bond," he grinned, oblivious to the other boys in the room.

"Okay," Chazz said, stunned.

Atticus grinned and slapped the British impersonator on the back playfully. "Nice impression, Bastion! Couldn't have said it better myself!!"

"Oh, bugger...did I say that out loud?" Bastion asked. "Gents, I..."

"Bastion, you're not the only guy who's done that," Zane remarked calmly.

"You, Zane?"

"Yup..." "Me, too..." Jaden admitted. "But I don't have the accent to back it up...You sound like Pierce Brosnan..."

"High praise," Bastion answered.

Atticus elbowed him. "I bet Violet'll love to hear you say that!" he stated, winking. Meanwhile, Syrus was taking in himself in a white tuxedo with a black bow tie, unsure.

"Sy, have you decided?" Zane asked. "Syrus, you look positively smashing!" Bastion said. Jaden grinned. "Bro, Annie's gonna be all over you..."

Chazz added, "Yeah...if she hadn't fallen for you before, she would tonight."

Syrus blushed. "Thanks guys...you think they're ready yet?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "I hope you gentlemen are prepared. Mr. Truesdale, Mr. Misawa and Mr. Yuki, your fiancées await," Yugi Muto said quite seriously and then smiled. "They look lovely."

The guys followed Yugi into the ballroom, where the girls were waiting. The three single teens stayed a little farther back to give the couples some room. Annie stepped lightly forward as did Alexis and Violet. Annie curtsied to Sy, as he bowed. Bastion and Jaden bowed to their partners as well.

"Someone looks handsome," whispered Violet, giggling. "Thank you, darling. May I have this dance?" Bastion asked, taking her left hand in his right.

"We can sure try, Bastion-baby. But you know how I am in heels." Violet replied, sweat-dropping.

Syrus was trying to stop himself from staring at Annie. "Sy...what do you think?" Annie asked. "Do...you want to dance with me?"

"Annie, you look...wonderful! Of course I want to dance. T-That is, if you want to dance with me," he replied.

"Of course I want to dance with you, Sy...I wouldn't want to with anyone but my own blue-haired Tuxedo Mask," Annie smiled.

"Jaden, you look great," whispered Alexis, smiling.

"Thanks, Lex...Shall we dance?" Jaden answered.

Alexis smiled. "Why of course, Jaden," she answered, taking his hand.

And then someone turned on a very pretty type of waltz music. Bastion put Violet's right hand on his left shoulder and laid his left hand gently on her hip. The other kids followed suit, remembering their dance lessons with Rosa and Tyson. Jaden swallowed nervously as he did what Bastion did.

Violet "eep'd" as she tripped on the heels, and would have fallen if Bastion hadn't been holding her. "Uh, Bastion-baby? Can I, maybe, take off the shoes??" she asked, sweat-dropping.

Bastion spun Violet over to the side of the room to give her a moment to get her shoes off. "We're not on 'Dancing with the Stars,' darling. Just get them off."

Violet grinned sheepishly and kicked them off, instantly making her about three inches shorter. "Okay, ready!" she stated excitedly. Bastion spun Violet back onto the dance floor.

Syrus blushed, and tried to copy Bastion's movements. However, he couldn't help but accidentally step on her foot. "Oh! Sorry, Annie," he muttered, frowning.

Annie slipped and stepped on Sy's foot. "Sorry, Sy. I know the mechanics," she blushed.

Syrus sighed. "Neither of us are very good at this, huh?" he asked.

Annie blushed and shook her head. "Let's just have fun with it. I am."

Alexis was mostly leading Jaden. "It's okay, Jaden. Just do what I do." Jaden moved with Alexis, as well, and moved pretty well. And so the three couples danced— with mixed results— until the music ended.

At the end of the evening, as the kids left, Annie moved over to Mai Wheeler, smiling.

"Mai?" she asked.

"Yeah, Annie, hon?" Mai asked, clad in a lovely purple gown.

The young girl blushed. "Thanks for suggesting sensitivity training for the guys…"

Mai took a moment to remember. "Oh! Is that how everything really got started?" she asked, smiling.

Annie nodded. "I never would've had the nerve to tell Sy how I really felt…And Bastion and Violet and Jaden and Alexis…they were having a hard time, too. Tyson and Rosa were a thing, but Tyson got the nerve to do some things he wouldn't have." Impulsively, she hugged the female duelist. "Thank you, Mai."

Mai hugged back, gently but tightly. "You're welcome, honey."

_The group seems to be having fun in Domino. But all good things must come to an end. The group must separate for a time, and that means we'll get to see three couples in different parts of the US and the world! So next time, "Off to the Emerald City!" And until next time, please read and review! Thank you!_


	63. Off to the Emerald City!

Chapter LXIII: Off to the Emerald City

_Hello, again, dear readers! We welcome you back to our story! We're glad you were able to review and for those of you who got a private message and then a review reply, that was due to FF's upgrade. Anyway, thank you very much for your reading and your reviews. We're always glad to hear from you! And apologies to everyone who was horrified by the images of Dr. Crowler in various types of clothing._

_So, last time, Annie, Violet and Bastion got out of the hospital, and they and Sy went to an ice cream shop where they met Doctor Crowler. Later they went to the Kaiba mansion with the rest of the gang and had one last fun night before they would separate. So now we come to the summer separation. What will happen now?_

_**Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters. We'd be repeating ourselves.**_

_Author's note: This chapter contains educational things about the Seattle area and speculation about the future of a current Seattle landmark. Thank you._

The next day, two of the three couples in Domino packed to head for Seattle and Cleveland. And so the time finally came to say good-bye.

"We won't see each other until toward the end of August," Annie said, hugging Violet.

"I know! I'm gonna miss you!! I'll call every now and then to check up on you two, all right?" replied Violet, hugging her best friend.

"Yeah...We can IM," Annie said. "You stay safe with Bastion..."

"Keep an eye on her, Syrus," Bastion said meanwhile.

"I will, Bastion. Uh, can I ask you something?" he whispered nervously.

"Yes, Syrus, what is it?" the taller boy asked.

"Well, um, how did you, you know...propose to Violet?" he whispered, biting his bottom lip.

"Are you...thinking of what you'll do with Annie?" the taller boy queried.

Syrus blushed. "Yeah...I was waiting until we went to Seattle to do it. And I wanted to ask her parents for permission..."

"Ah...well, I surprised her with breakfast in bed and the necklace. But I will tell you what my father told me...you should do what is best for the young lady you love. Annie is not Violet, just as Violet is not like my mother. What would make Annie happiest?"

He blinked, and thought for a few moments. "Well, uh, she likes peaceful stuff and the lake by her town..."

"All right...then listen to what she says about home and what she's looking forward to this week. Maybe a bit of serendipity will aid you. And by all means, speak with her father..." Bastion said with a wink.

"Uh, okay. Thanks, Bastion!" he replied.

"GUYS!! WE'RE GONNA MISS OUR PLANES!!!" Violet and Annie called, Violet's loud voice sticking out amongst the airport chatter.

"Wait a minute...they wait for us! It's private jets!" Annie remembered happily.

"Still, it won't do for us to be late, will it?" Bastion pointed out.

"Oh, right. I'm not used to flying private," stated Violet, sweat-dropping. Her family was already on their plane.

"I guess this is where we split, huh, guys?" asked Syrus.

"Yeah...Remember what I told you," Bastion said. "Godspeed, Annie...take care of yourself..." Bastion hugged the girl and Annie hugged back. Then they pulled away, straightening.

Annie made a right-hand gesture where her index and middle fingers were together, while her ring and pinky fingers were together. "Live long and prosper..."

"Peace and long life," he answered, making the same gesture with his right hand.

"Keep Violet safe," Annie added and threw her arms around Violet. "You be careful, okay? I'm praying Mike's not around and if he is, God will deal with him..."

Violet blinked in surprise, having not even been thinking of Mike. "Don't worry, Annie! I will be. And Bastion-baby will be there to protect me if we run into him," she explained reassuringly. However, the same hollow feeling in the back of her mind returned, like a warning light.

"C'mon, kids!" Kisara called from Annie and Sy's plane.

Bastion clapped Sy on the shoulder. "Good luck..."

And so the friends parted ways and got onto their planes. Both girls had medical staff on their planes. "This...is...so...cool!" Annie said, stepping into the plane.

Meanwhile on Violet's plane… "Look, sissa! We have huge seats!" Haylee exclaimed.

Bastion helped Violet into her seat. "Well this is absolutely delightful. I've never been on a flight where I have plenty of legroom, except when I was small," he said.

"Us, either, except for now," Alan commented.

"This is so cool! I can actually hear myself speak on a plane for once!!" exclaimed Violet happily.

Bobby grinned. "Man, Seto rocks even more than I thought he would. It's awesome that I got to meet him. All thanks to you, Vi!" he stated, grinning. And the Haverbrook plane took off.

In the other plane... "Oh, Sy...I can't wait for you to see Seattle and Medina! You're going to love it! And...oh! You'll be there for the Fourth of July!" Annie squealed happily.

Syrus smiled. "I can't wait, Annie! It sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun," he replied. 'That would be a good time,' he thought.

"I forgot to tell you the best part about where we live..." Annie smiled. "On the Fourth, we see eight fireworks displays at one time!"

"Really? What time??"

"It starts about 10 at night. And all around the lake, the displays get going. There's the Kirkland display..."

"I remember that one," Kisara grinned, hearing the conversation. "Do you see the Bellevue display?" "Yeah, we do, and the Gasworks Park, Lake Union, the Woodmark, Bill Gates and two others..."

"It's quite a sight," Kisara agreed.

"I can't wait to see it, Annie! I wonder what everyone else will be doing," Syrus thought aloud.

"Tyson and Rosa are in Spain, Jaden and Alexis are enjoying Domino...And I'll bet Bastion's enjoying Violet's family...they're fun..."

Syrus had an image of Violet and Bobby having a fireworks war and sweat-dropped. "Uh, you think Bastion'll be okay?"

"Yeah...he'll be fine...He handled that incident when the Obelisk guys declared war on the rest of the guys with water balloons and Pop-its," Annie grinned. "He shot back with all kinds of party favors and we girls joined the fray!"

"Wow, really? Bastion?? I never would have guessed..."

"He got pretty mad... and Tyson was all too eager to help...Where were you?"

"Oh. I was, uh, in the library...hiding. I never really did like doing those sort of things...I'd always leave if the Slifer or Ra cafeteria had a food fight."

Annie smiled. "Sy...I'll tell you a secret...Kisara, you can't blab this!"

"My lips are sealed..."

He blinked. "Yeah, Annie?"

"I was the one who hit Professor Uchiha with the mashed potatoes..."

Syrus' eyes went wide. "That was you?! No one was ever able to hit him, and when he was hit with those we couldn't find out who threw it!"

Annie blushed. "When I hit him, I just ran for my life...Even though I know he's not an anime character who likes killing things, I just have a feeling that it's a good idea not to tick off someone whose last name is Uchiha. With our luck, he might just figure out how to do a fireball jitsu!"

He laughed. "That would be pretty cool, though!"

"Yeah," Annie said. And the plane flew toward Seattle.

Annie fell asleep, something she almost never did on an airplane. "Keep it quiet, Syrus, okay?" Kisara whispered.

Syrus nodded. "Okay, Kisara," he whispered.

"Good. She's doing better, thanks to you, Sy...you're a major reason she's kept going..." Kisara smiled. "She's strong because you're here and you love her."

He blushed. "That's good...I've been trying to help."

"You've done far more than that, sweetie...you've given her a reason to fight...Some patients give up when they don't have someone like you." Kisara sat down across from him. "She has her family, but she also has someone very special beyond that. And that is you..."

"Uh, Kisara, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Sy, what is it?"

"Well, uh, how would you like to be proposed to?"

"Well, I have been already, sweetie, and I'm not in the market...Do you want to know how Seto actually asked me?"

Syrus blushed. "Oh, no, I didn't mean—oh man..."

Kisara understood. "It's all right, Syrus...you're thinking of how you'll ask Annie, aren't you?" She said all of it sweetly.

He sighed. "Yeah...Bastion gave me some tips, but I'm still nervous..."

"Okay...well," she whispered, "the way Seto asked me was very sweet, but...a little too much, I have to admit. It was the day he gave up professional dueling. He told me, win or lose, he had a surprise for me...He won against the guy and asked me to come down to the field. And with millions of people watching, he went down on one knee. And then..." Kisara blushed, smiling. "And then he had the whole stadium sing one of my favorite romantic songs. I was so overwhelmed, I actually passed out in the middle of my own proposal!" Kisara laughed at the memory.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "I think something more, uh, subtle is needed for Annie..."

"Yeah...Seto just didn't think and apologized on the way to the hospital. Gave my parents ten million fits," she added, laughing.

"I was, thinking, maybe...I could propose during the fireworks show at the lake," he mumbled, blushing.

"She'd probably love that, Sy, and that's a very relaxing setting, I'll bet."

"But, uh, Kisara...do you think she'll like this?" he asked. Syrus pulled out a navy blue velvet ring box from his pocket and handed it to her.

Kisara opened the box. Sy had picked a very simple ring with a platinum band. "Sy...this is beautiful, honey. And I think she'll love it because it's from you..."

"I wasn't really sure what to get, so I chose something simple...You really think she'll like it?"

"Yes, I do...she's happy with you...not the things you can give her. I love Seto not because of his wealth, but because of who he is. And Annie loves you for you..." Kisara patted Sy on the shoulder. "It's going to be just fine..."

"I hope your right, Kisara. I know Annie's looking forward to when I'll do it...."

About two hours after this, the plane landed in Seattle. Annie was awake by this time and they had landed at an airfield that looked pretty non-descript. "We're here!" the teen girl said happily.

"Oh, I haven't been back here in ages!" Kisara smiled. They could see trees and other planes around them, but not Seattle.

"Sy, we'll see more when we start driving," Annie explained. "It's a little hard to point everything out from the air..."

"Okay! That was faster than I'd thought it would be," he replied as they got off the plane. Kisara followed them down. Waiting just a bit from the plane were Annie's mom, dad and big brother.

"Mom, Dad, Bobby!" she squealed happily, heading toward them.

"Hi, honey!" Kathy Hanson said happily.

"Hey, sis!" Bobby said casually.

"Annie! It's so nice to see you in the flesh instead of pixels!!" Alex joked, pulling his daughter into a hug. Syrus stood a few feet away, staring nervously at the asphalt air strip.

"Oh, Sy, c'mon over! Mom, Dad, Bobby, this is Syrus Truesdale, my boyfriend."

"Oh, yeah...you took a bath with my sister," Bobby said calmly.

"Bobby..." Kathy said warningly. "Honey, thank you for taking care of Annie...you're practically part of our family now..."

"Uh, you're welcome. I didn't mind, really. I was glad to help," he replied, blushing. Alex pulled him into a hug as well, though a bone or two could be heard cracking.

"Daddy, ease off, please?" Annie reminded him.

Kisara came up to the group. "Alex, Kathy..."

"Sorry, honey," he apologized, releasing Syrus. Alex then turned to Kisara. "Ah, Kisara, nice to see you again."

"Alex, I'm glad to see you again and you too, Kathy...And you must be Bobby..."

"Kisara, thank you for saving our baby," Kathy said, hugging the younger woman.

"Yeah...thanks for saving my sister," Bobby said, offering his hand to shake. Kisara pumped his hand. "I just wanted you to know a little bit about how Annie's doing and what to expect..."

"What's happened with her?" Kathy asked.

"Okay, Annie's done pretty well on the whole. She's on..." Kisara named a medication, "and she takes that twice a day. As long as she keeps pretty relaxed, she'll be okay. She can play and have fun, but she can't overexert herself. Sy's been helping take care of her and he's good at keeping her relaxed. Alex, if you take the kids to Pike Place or to the Center or to Safeco, I'd say take a wheelchair with you. Can you do that?"

"Sure can. We have a Land Rover so there's plenty of room," he replied.

"Oh, good," Kisara said. "I grew up here...I forgot just how beautiful it was," she sighed, smiling. "I think that's why I love Domino so much. Anyway...you kids have a fun rest of the summer, all right?"

"We will, Kisara. Thanks for everything," replied Syrus happily.

"Yes, thank you...Kisara, we can't thank you and your family enough...you're an angel," Kathy said, nearing tears.

"Thank you," Kisara smiled. She gave the kids hugs and got back on the plane.

"Okay, kids, you want to go home?"

"Yeah, Mom!" Annie said happily.

"I can't wait to see the actual city!" added Syrus excitedly.

"Well, you'll get to see it on the way home. Maybe tomorrow we can show you around Medina," offered Alex as they walked.

"Yay!" Annie said happily.

"Hey, glad you're home, Annie," Bobby said, giving her a gentle hug. "Man, you scared us..." Bobby Hanson was a tough but gentle soul and very nonchalant most of the time. But something came through on his face that Annie didn't see too often...genuine fear.

"Bobby, I'm okay," Annie said, squeezing gently.

"Annie...Kisara and Dr. Benson said you might..."

"Yeah...I might, but...let's enjoy this and not think about it right now, okay?"

"Okay, Annie...So, Sy...how did you meet my sister?" Bobby asked the smaller boy.

"Well, we met in classes the first day of Duel Academy," Syrus replied, telling the story of their first day in class and then the incident in which Annie snuck out to meet him. "And so, uh, that's pretty much how we met," he finished. By now they were in the Hanson's Land Rover, driving out of the airport.

"My little sister actually snuck out of the dorm and didn't get caught...impressive," Bobby said. "She never could figure out how to break rules...you're what, a year older than she is?"

"Yeah," he replied.

Alex smiled. "That's perfect! One year older."

"Yeah...it's impressive. And that she broke the rules for you; that's also pretty cool. I mean...that should say how much Annie liked you at the time..."

"Bobby!" Annie squealed, blushing.

"Annie, it's all right, honey," Kathy soothed. "We're taking I-5 so you can see the city, Syrus. Annie can tell you what we're driving by."

Syrus was blushing a little as well. "O-Okay..."

And so, they drove toward metropolitan Seattle. "Look on your left, Syrus! There's the city!" At first, all they saw were cargo cranes and then they saw two huge sports stadiums. There was one with a retractable roof. "That's Safeco Field, Sy, home of the Seattle Mariners, only the second team in baseball history to win 116 games!"

Syrus was taking in the scenes with wide eyes. "Wow, Annie. It's so cool..."

And then the next stadium had no retractable roof, but was emblazoned with a logo. "That's Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, a really awesome football team..." And they could see beyond to a huge body of water.

"Annie, is that the lake you told us about?" he asked eagerly.

"No, that's actually Elliot Bay and Puget Sound," she explained. "Lake Washington's that way," she said, pointing to the right. "We'll see it when we get to the 520 bridge..." And then they saw a huge mountain range out past the water. "Sy, that's the Olympic Mountain range. We have two mountain ranges here and that's the range to the west...the one to the east is the Cascades and one of the biggest mountains is Mount Rainier."

"Wow...Seattle is so cool, Annie!"

"Thanks, Sy! Man, I'm glad they finally got rid of the old Viaduct..."

"Yeah, honey...that was a very good thing," Kathy said. "The state finally agreed to tear it down and put up a new raised freeway, and just after they tore it down, there was an earthquake..."

"Earthquake?" asked Syrus. He'd experienced one before, but it was a while ago.

"Yeah, it was a big one...a 7.0. I was 8 at the time," Annie said.

"Yeah...that was worse than the one that happened when I was four," Bobby added.

Syrus thought for a few moments. "Hey, why is it that places like Domino and Seattle get earthquakes but places like Cleveland don't?"

"We're on the Pacific Rim, Sy," Annie explained. "We're also known as the Ring of Fire...that means we have earthquakes and volcanic eruptions a lot more than other places in the world."

"My sister, the science nerd...but I wouldn't have her any other way," Bobby grinned. "I hope she doesn't bore you to death..."

Sy blinked, then sweat-dropped. "No, I'm used to hearing this sort of stuff from Bastion all the time."

"Bastion? Isn't that Violet's boyfriend, honey?" Kathy asked her daughter.

"Yeah, Mom, that's Violet's...fiancée, actually...He's the other Star Trek fan I met at the Academy, and I've made Sy into a Niner..."

"You're never going to grow out of it, are you?" Kathy asked wryly.

"Nope..."

"It's okay. Star Trek is actually pretty interesting," Sy replied, smiling.

"Looks like you did reel in another one, honey," stated Alex, grinning.

"Yeah, Daddy..." And before they knew it, the family was driving east. "There's Lake Washington, Sy!" Annie said happily as they drove onto a huge bridge. "This is the largest pontoon bridge in the world, Syrus!"

"Wow," he muttered, looking out over the lake.

And then, seeming to tower over the lake was a white-capped mountain to their right. "That's Mount Rainier, Sy," Annie said, "and it hasn't erupted in over a thousand years!"

"Uh, it's not going to erupt anytime soon, is it?"

"Nope. It hasn't shown signs of major activity for a very long time. We only have to worry about Mt. St. Helens. That one's gone off a few times...but not big recently..." Syrus sweat-dropped. Judging by their luck so far that summer, he wouldn't be surprised if it erupted on the night he proposed to her.

"Sy, it's miles from us. We can't even see it from here!" Annie laughed.

"Man, way to scare him, Annie!" Bobby grinned.

"And here I thought you'd grown out of that phase, Annie," joked Alex.

"Uh," muttered Syrus, glancing at her.

"One of my hobbies is geology, Sy...that's why I liked the field trips to the school volcano..."

"Oh. You always were the first one to sign up for that...and Violet was right after you." Of course, they all knew she only went to get out of classes and see the lava.

Annie giggled. "I never should've let her see Lord of the Rings...she loved the scene where Gollum was toast getting the One Ring," she sweat-dropped.

He nodded, remembering a certain Ra who'd just barely stopped her from re-enacting the scene. "Hey, are we in Medina now?" he asked.

Sure enough, they were off the bridge and into the suburbs. "Almost there..." Annie said, and there was a small sign that said "Welcome to Medina." "We're here!" the girl said happily. The place had the look of a sleepy old town and there were small houses, bigger ones and places with huge mansions.

Syrus went wide-eyed at the mansions. "Wow...who lives there, Annie?"

"One of the places close to the water belongs to Bill Gates. That one," she said, pointing to a house with a wrought-iron fence, "belongs to a nice man who owns a cell phone company. A lot of the people around here are executives like Seto Kaiba..."

"Cool...is this your house, Annie?" he asked. Alex was coming to a stop so that he could turn into the driveway.

"Yeah!" Annie squealed again. They were going downward to a house that looked like it had been there several years. It was done in dark wood and it was big and old-fashioned. However, it had a four-car garage. The Hansons pulled into the garage and everyone piled out. "See, Sy, we're right next to the lake," Annie said, heading out of the garage and around the house into the backyard. The backyard had a swimming pool and a hot tub surrounded by dark stone and a stairway down to the lake reminiscent of the stairs leading to the lake from the Von Trapp mansion in "The Sound of Music."

Syrus' eyes went wide again, finding the scene as beautiful as his mom's garden. "Annie, this...this is amazing..."

Annie blushed. "It is nice...but...I'm glad you're here to share it with...and I'm glad we got home on a day when it was sunny..."

He blushed as well. "Yeah. So, uh, what did you want to do?"

"Well, why don't I give you a tour of the house and then if you wanted we could go for a swim...or maybe you're hungry..."

At that moment, his stomach grumbled in reply. "Uh...lunch sounds nice, Annie," Syrus mumbled, sweat-dropping.

"Okay! C'mon, we'll fix something..."

"Annie, we'll get your bags and Sy's, sweetheart," Kathy said.

"Thanks, Mom!" Annie called. They walked into the house and Annie took Sy by the hand. "You'll have to play video games in the family room," she said excitedly as they saw three rooms with overstuffed leather furniture and fancy tables and chairs. Finally, they came to the kitchen. "Here we are...What would you like, Sy? We have stuff for sandwiches, salad, fruit, peanut butter and jelly, sushi...What sounds good?"

"Peanut butter and jelly sounds great, Annie," he replied, grinning.

"Okay, Sy! Want some milk to go with it?" she asked.

"Okay!" He sat at the kitchen table, thinking for a moment. "Hey, Annie? You think they're in Cleveland by now?"

Annie looked at the clock. "They're probably an hour away now...Unless the headwinds were good, of course...Sometimes, it's quicker going east instead of west..."

"I remember Violet constantly complaining that it was colder over there. But, it's summer. So...would it be?"

"Probably...Lake Erie's bigger than Lake Washington, so it wouldn't surprise me one bit..." Annie fixed two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with two big glasses of milk and they sat down. "Enjoy!" she said happily.

"This looks great, Annie!" Syrus stated, taking a bite.

"Mmm...Grandma's raspberry jam...oh, I wanted this so bad," Annie smiled as she took a bite, too.

"It's really good...I've never had raspberry jam before."

"My grandma's is the best," Annie smiled. "I can't believe we're actually here together..."

"Yeah. We have almost two months to spend here, so we can just take it easy," he replied, smiling.

"Yeah..." After they ate, Annie took Sy up to her bedroom. The room was huge and decorated in varying shades of purple. Annie had a huge king-size bed with what looked like an old-fashioned iron headboard and footboard. She had framed posters on the walls, and Sy finally got a peek at the posters she'd made of the dueling elite as Sailor Scouts.

"Whoa. Annie, these are cool! Just like in the movie!!" exclaimed Syrus.

"Thanks, Sy," Annie smiled and then sobered. She climbed up on her bed and sat down, motioning him to do the same. She seemed really nervous. "Sy...can I tell you why I could make all those posters?"

He sat beside her on the bed, wondering why she was so nervous. "Sure, Annie."

"I never...really had friends until I came to Duel Academy...and...you're the only boyfriend I've ever had..." She blushed. "I know I told you that you're the first boy I kissed, but I never even had a guy interested in me until you..." She blushed deeper. "So I had a lot of time on my hands...these were my friends..."

Syrus frowned. "I...kinda know how you feel, Annie. When Zane was younger, we used to play all the time. But then, he left to train, and I was alone. No one wanted to play with me except for Atty and Alexis, but they were usually busy."

"At least...you had them," Annie sighed sadly. "None of my brother's friends' brothers or sisters ever wanted to play with me...I got teased a lot in school. And when I got skipped a grade it got worse. I tried to fit in, but nothing worked so I got used to being alone...until I went to Duel Academy...and met you and Violet..."

"It looks like all three of us needed a friend. Dueling managed to bring us together when normally we never would have met," he replied, smiling.

"Yeah," Annie replied, blushing. They moved close together until their noses and foreheads were touching.

Syrus leaned in so that their lips met in a kiss, both blushing lightly. "Here's your bags, kids—oh!" gasped Alex, sweat-dropping.

Annie and Sy broke apart fast. "DAD!!!" She yelped indignantly, "Knock next time!"

"Sorry, sorry! I'm still getting used to the fact that my baby girl has a boyfriend. I'll just set your things here," he replied, grinning sheepishly. Alex set down the bags and quickly left, Syrus sighing audibly.

"Man, talk about a learning curve," Annie groaned, blushing hotly. "Sorry, Sy..."

"It's okay, Annie. It's happened before...but what's a 'learning curve?'" he asked curiously.

"Uh...oh, crud, I did it again," Annie groaned.

Syrus blinked. "Did what again, Annie?"

"What is it with me and terms no one else gets?" she sighed. "Except Bastion..."

"But Annie, I like that about you. I guess...that's one of the few things that Violet and I have in common," he replied, grinning sheepishly.

Annie giggled, kissing Sy. "Hey, Daddy put our bags in here, not just mine!"

"Is it safe to come in?" Alex called through the door. Syrus sweat-dropped.

"Yes, Daddy!" Annie called back, and her father came in. "Thanks for calling in first..."

"See? I'm learning. Anyway, here's Syrus's things. Shall I leave you two alone?" Alex joked, grinning.

"We're cool, Dad...Hey, is it okay if Sy sleeps in here? I've kinda gotten used to it because he stayed with me all those nights in the hospital and when I stayed at his house and was sick."

Alex thought for a long moment, then sighed, smiling. "All right. If you two need anything, just call," he replied before leaving the room again.

"I'm glad that he let us, Annie," Syrus said gratefully.

"Yeah...I've gotten used to you being with me...Man, that's one thing that'll suck when we go back to school...I can't sleep with you...Even if we were in the same dorms..."

Syrus frowned and sighed. "Yeah...but it's only one more year. Then, we'll be out of school."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said. "Well...do you want to go for a swim?" Annie blushed. "You can just doggy-paddle..."

"Uh, okay. I guess I can try doing that," he replied nervously.

"Don't worry, you can just wade. I suck at swimming...or we can sit in the hot tub..." Annie knew Sy wasn't a good swimmer at all. He knew how now, but he just wasn't very good at it.

"Uh, okay. Wading sounds fine. I think it's a little too warm to go into the hot tub," he replied.

"Okay...Man, what swimsuit should I wear?" she wondered aloud. "I have a few..." She headed into her walk-in closet and pulled out four swimsuits. One was a blue tankini, while another was a black one piece with a plunging neckline. Another suit was a red one piece halter top, and the fourth was a purple one piece with cut-out panels on the side. "Which one should I put on, Sy?" she asked, setting them out on the bed.

"Uh...I kinda like this one," Syrus answered, pointing towards the blue tankini. One might think he chose it since it was a two-piece, but he thought she looked good in blue.

Annie smiled. "Okay, Sy...I'm always a little nervous in this one...That's why I didn't take it to school, but since I'm home, I'll wear it...What about you?" she asked.

He jumped off the bed and went to his suitcase, pulling out a pair of white swim trunks. "These are the only ones I have..."

Annie smiled. "Okay...those look great! Let's change, then and head to the pool!" She pulled off her outfit and got on her suit quickly. Syrus caught a glimpse of her and blushed, quickly getting undressed as well. He tried keeping his eyes off of her while he got into his trunks.

Annie smiled at the sight of Sy in his trunks. "You look great in those," she said. "And...we've seen each other, so it's no big deal if you look." She'd seen him turn away in the reflection of the huge mirror in her room.

He blushed a little. "Uh, thanks, Annie. You look great, too. I'm still just a little...nervous about it."

"It's all right...if it helps, I'm still a little nervous too..." She took him by the hand and took him down the stairs and out to the backyard. "Good thing the pool is heated a bit...Lake Washington's warming up, but it only feels really good when the temperature is up around 85 or 90 degrees..." Together they eased into the pool shallows. There was a slight breeze, so it made the air a bit cool.

Syrus' upper half shivered, and he lowered himself until he was up to his neck. Suddenly, he grinned, remembering a joke he'd once heard. "Annie, what if we get hot feet and a head cold?" he asked.

"Then we'll just relax," she said, smiling back, standing in the same level of water as Syrus. Her shoulders were out of the water. "Oh this feels so nice...I forgot just how good this pool can feel. What do you think of the view?" They were looking at the lake, and the other ends of the lake where they could see Seattle, the floating bridges and other neighborhoods. There were lots of trees and greenery, even in the city, they could see.

"It's better than the view at my house, that's for sure. I've never actually seen a lake, only the ocean," Syrus explained, grinning sheepishly.

"I like the ocean a lot," Annie said. "It makes a lot more noise than the lake...though you should see this lake in a storm! It's awesome!" She looked thoughtfully at him. "We'll have to take a ferry at some point out to the San Juan Islands or just Whidbey Island. Puget Sound's like an ocean. But if you get lonely for the ocean, I'll bet I could get Mom or Daddy to take us out to the coast...You might like Grey's Harbor..." Annie was rambling a little bit.

Syrus smiled. "That all sounds great, Annie. The rest of the summer is gonna be really fun, I just know it." 'Especially next week,' he thought.

They swam for a little bit, and then got out. The late afternoon breeze was a little chilly, so Annie headed for the hot tub, dragging Syrus with her. "This'll warm us up and when we go in the house, we'll be really warm," she said, easing into the tub.

He blinked. Syrus had been in a pool before, but never a hot tub. "Uh," he mumbled nervously. Syrus dipped a foot in, but quickly pulled it out of the seemingly scalding water.

"Just ease in," Annie said. "It's the same temperature as the heated pools at school, but it seems hotter because it's a smaller area...Just get in slowly," she coaxed.

"All right." He copied the way she'd gotten in, though it took twice as long for him to finally sit down beside her.

Annie relaxed visibly in the tub, especially once her love was beside her. "Have you ever been in a hot tub before?" she asked.

"Uh, no...actually," he mumbled, a little embarrassed.

Annie smiled, understanding. "It's all right...There's a first time for everything...I just won't turn the jets on heavy..." The tub was bubbling a bit, and Annie could turn the jets on full.

"Jets??" Syrus asked, blinking.

"Yeah..." She took his hand and moved it to a round recessed thing in the hot tub's side. They could each feel the water moving through their fingers. "Feel that? That's a jet that makes the water bubble a bit. You can turn it on stronger and pretty much get a massage."

"Really? I've never had a massage before..."

"You haven't?" she asked curiously.

"No. Is that weird?" he asked, worried.

"No, of course, not...I'm just a little surprised...Turn around so your back's to me..."

Syrus blinked in slight confusion, but did as she asked. 'What does she want me to turn around for?' he wondered.

"We do this all the time in the Obelisk girls' dorms," she said. "We give each other massages to relax during test week...We get a lot of tense shoulders..." She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to rub.

He winced at first, unused to the abnormal pressure. Then, Syrus had to admit it felt good, and he sighed contentedly. "This is great," he mumbled.

"Tell me if I'm pressing too hard, okay?" she asked, noticing how he was starting to relax. She used her thumbs to rub his neck. "You're so tense, Sy..."

Syrus sighed, this time a bit sadly. "Well, just so much has happened so fast, Annie..."

"Yeah...I'm just glad none of us have gone through it alone..."

"Yeah. Some of the stuff we've been through may have turned out differently if we had gone through it alone."

"Yeah...it probably would have," she answered, still rubbing. "I wonder how Violet and Bastion are doing...they should be in Ohio by now..."

_Surprise, surprise, surprise…Annie and Sy made it to Seattle alive and seem on track to have a good time in the Emerald City (Seattle's nickname). But what of our couple that's headed to Ohio? Next time, "New Places, Old Faces." Until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	64. New Places, Old Faces

Chapter LXIV: New Places, Old Faces

_Welcome back, everyone to another chapter of the _Summer Love, Summer Fears _saga. We're each very glad you're staying with this story and are enjoying it still. Anyway, thanks as always for your reading and your faithful reviews! _

_Last time, Annie and Sy headed to Seattle and Annie's hometown of Medina, Washington, which is indeed the stomping grounds of multi-billionaire Bill Gates. Sy talked to Kisara about proposing to the love of his life and then found himself at home in Annie's big house. Meanwhile, Bastion and Violet headed to Ohio. So what awaits them? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the previous chapters. We own nothing but our OCs, non-established characters and of course this story and this version of the Yugi-verse. Thank you. Now please don't sue us.**_

Bastion Misawa had fallen asleep somewhere over Utah and awoke just as the Kaiba Corp Gulfstream jet landed on an airstrip in Cleveland. "Oh...are we here, then?" he asked groggily.

Violet was sound asleep, along with everyone else besides Barbara. "Ah, so you're the first to wake up. Yes, we're here. Though, all you'll be able to see for a while are walls and some trees, I'm afraid," the mother said with a smile.

"That's quite all right, Barbara...Oh, good, Violet's sleeping..."

Alan woke up then. "Oh, we're home...excellent..." The plane was taxiing on the tarmac to a private gate. "We won't have to wait for our bags, Barb..."

Then Haylee woke up, yawning. "We home, Daddy?"

"I just hope we can find our way to the car, Al. We've never gotten off at a private gate before," she replied worriedly.

Then, Violet let out a yawn and woke up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Are we finally here?" she asked tiredly.

"Yes, Violet, honey, we're home," Alan answered. "Oh, wait...we took a limo here..."

"Not to worry," a young man said. He worked for Kaiba Corp and was part of the flight crew. "One of us will take you to a limo and take you all home, Mr. Haverbrook."

"A limousine, again? My goodness..."

"Seto sure has been quite the generous gentleman to us," added Barbara, sweat-dropping.

Then, Violet noticed that Bobby was still asleep, and a mischievous glint came into her eyes. She stood and walked over to him, leaving plenty of room in front. "AAAHHH!! BOBBY, WAKE UP!! WE'RE GONNA CRASH!!!" she screamed convincingly. Bobby snapped awake and yelped, so shocked that he fell out of his seat and face-planted the ground.

"Violet!" Alan exclaimed, laughing. "Where do you get these ideas?" he asked.

"I'd like to know as well," Bastion added, sweat-dropping.

Violet grinned and stuck out her tongue playfully. "They just come to me when the opportunity floats around," she replied.

Bobby sat up and glared at his big sister, face slightly red. "I'm gonna get you back for that, Vi!" he growled.

"Sure you are," she countered, snickering. Barbara simply sighed.

"Something tells me that this will not end well," Bastion said, sensing doom on the horizon.

"Violet, Bobby, Mrs. Kaiba wanted me to remind you that you are not to be too rough with each other as you, Violet, have just had major surgery and you're still healing," a young woman with red hair who was also a nurse stated calmly.

"Thank you, Nurse Tara," Alan said. "You heard them, kids...and that goes for you too, Miss Haylee..."

"Yes, Daddy," Haylee chirped. Violet glowered slightly at her brother and Bobby glared at his sister.

Bastion looked at them. "Please you two, I'd like to see if we can avoid hospital for a while. Violet darling, I don't want you in there again..."

Violet pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine, fine. I'll take it easy," she sighed.

Bobby stood with much the same look. "Me, too. But the moment she's better I'm gonna get payback!" he stated, grinning. Barbara simply sighed again and sweat-dropped as the group got off the plane.

Everyone stopped for a moment to stretch their legs once they were on the airstrip. "VIIIOLEEET-AAANIII!!!" called a shrill voice.

Half a second later, a short, pink blur crashed into Violet with a hug. She gasped and blinked, then grinned broadly when she recognized the person. "Cherri-ani!"

"Oh, my! Violet, darling, who's this?" Bastion asked, smiling just a bit nervously, but delighted that she seemed happy at the sight of the small girl with bubble-gum pink hair and eyes the shade of Yugi Muto's.

Violet giggled happily. "Bastion-baby, this is Cherri. She was my friend I told you guys about who moved to Canada. Cherri-ani, what are you doing here?" she asked.

Cherri pulled away, reflecting her best friend's smile. "We moved back here a few weeks ago, Violet-ani. B-mom and A-dad wanted it to be a surprise!" she explained in her high-pitched voice. Now that she wasn't running, one could get a good look at her. Cherri was about half a head shorter than Syrus, with purple eyes and pink hair that was in a ponytail resembling Violet's. She was wearing a dark magenta tank top, white skirt, and pink flip-flops.

"Hello, Cherri, I'm Bastion Misawa. Violet's told me so much about you," the tall boy said, bending to the small teen girl's level. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doin' great! I didn't know that Domino boys could be cute, unlike the boys here and in Canada. Do they do something in the west that makes them cuter?" she asked innocently.

Violet grinned proudly and blushed a little, while Bobby and Alan sweat-dropped. Barbara seemed to be sighing a lot that day.

Bastion blushed. "Er...I honestly don't know..."

Alan started to laugh. "Cherri is like Violet in some ways, Bastion. You have been warned. Can you handle two of them?"

"I've dealt with Jaden Yuki as well, so the answer is an unequivocal yes..."

Violet and Cherri both blinked as the group began walking again. "Bastion-baby, what does 'enuquavacul' mean?" asked Violet, butchering the word.

"Unequivocal means plain or clear, darling..." Bastion explained to his fiancée.

The group walked out to the limo with their luggage in hand and got in. "So...where to now?" Bastion asked curiously.

"The town of South Royalton, Bastion...I hope you like it," Alan said easily.

"You'll love it, Bastion!" Haylee said enthusiastically.

"We'll get to see the lake on the way there, at least! And you can see the Cleveland skyscrapers and the stadiums, too!!" explained Violet eagerly.

Cherri was bouncing in her seat as she stared out the window. "Lake Erie, one of five lakes in Eastern North America. Together known as the Laurentian Great Lakes; Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. They form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth and are sometimes known as Canada and America's third coast," she explained simply.

Bastion nodded. "I've read about them of course, but I have never actually seen them up close...I look forward to seeing everything...Cherri, how long have you known Violet?"

Cherri flipped over to face the others, smiling happily. "We met in fifth grade! I was able to skip from second to fifth because they said I was gifted. Violet-ani and I became friends first. In sixth grade we met Triana, and then in seventh grade there was..." She stopped, glancing over at Violet who had frowned slightly.

"Yes, I know...I found out recently..." Bastion's gray eyes flashed like storm clouds over Midwestern plains during a thunderstorm. "I am glad to know that she had you...hang on...did you say you were skipped from second to fifth grade?"

Everyone was glad for the change of subject. "Yep! That's even more than when Violet-ani was able to go to Duel Academy, even though she was only thirteen."

"So that makes you how old?" Bastion queried, stunned. His brilliant mathematical brain was very stunned.

"I'm thirteen!" she replied happily.

Violet grinned and ruffled Cherri's pink hair. "And yet she's going to be a senior like me! I even think she grew a foot since the last time I saw her," she joked happily.

"Wow," Bastion responded. He looked out the window and got his first glimpse of Lake Erie. "That is a monstrous lake...No wonder the lakes affect your weather patterns here, girls..."

Both flipped in their seats to look out the window. "I know; you can't even see the other end of it!" replied Violet.

"I remember when Bobby, Violet-ani, and I went winter-swimming. It was cold, but fun. A lot of people were there," explained Cherri, grinning.

"The Polar Bears!" Bastion said. "We have a chapter in Domino and Annie says that there's a chapter in the Seattle area...They go out on the coldest day of the year and go swimming as if it were summer...Sounds invigorating, actually..."

Alan smiled. "You want to try it sometime?"

"I'd love to..."

"Speaking of people named 'Annie...' Why do you two keep saying 'Annie' at the end of your names?" Bastion asked curiously.

Violet blinked. "Oh! You mean 'ani', A-N-I. Well, see, Cherri took Japanese for a language in middle school. She learned that 'Aniki' is used for friends who are almost like surrogate siblings. So, we added 'ani' to the end of our names. She also calls my mom and dad 'B-mom' and 'A-dad', since they're like parents to her almost," she explained. Both Violet and Cherri held up the peace sign, grinning.

"Oh, I understand!" Bastion answered. "Mum and Dad taught me the language, but I didn't recognize your use of it...Very creative!"

"We think so, too...And Cherri is practically our third daughter," Alan said.

"Then I hope to be a satisfactory brother-in-law, Cherri, as you will also be my sister-in-law, then..."

"Sure! It's better than Bobby!!" Cherri joked, grinning.

Bobby scoffed. "You guys are gonna miss the skyscrapers if you don't pay attention," he grumbled, pointing. In the distance, the city could be seen, for once the tall buildings clear of cloud cover.

"Oh, my! You'll have to point out everything to me, Violet," Bastion said. "This is amazing!"

Violet sweat-dropped. "I don't exactly know the big buildings. But there's the Browns' stadium!" she replied, pointing at an open circle of stands surrounding a field. "And there's Jacobs Field, home of the Cleveland Indians!!" she added as they passed a similar-looking stadium.

"Actually, sweetie, they changed it to the sponsor's name. Just like the Quicken Loans Arena where the Cavaliers play," explained Barbara, sighing.

"Well, we have the Kaiba Dome in Domino...and Kaiba Field," Bastion said. "Corporate ownership is everywhere..."

Violet sighed. "I guess you're right, Bastion-baby. Hey, we're getting off the highway! Won't be long now until we hit South Royalton!!" she exclaimed.

"Right now we're in Brunswick," added Cherri. They were driving through a commercial area, though after a patch of trees it became sparse and residential instead.

"My goodness...quite a change...I rather like the suburbs," Bastion said.

"That's the Midwest for you! South Royalton's more of a suburb, but still kinda foresty," replied Violet. The houses grew in number, though just as many pine trees and maples and hedges existed among them. They passed a wooden sign that stated "Welcome to South Royalton! Est. 1927, City 1961".

"'City 1961,'" Bastion read. "Does that mean South Royalton officially became a city in 1961?"

Cherri nodded. "Yeah. Until then it was only considered a village. So, even though it's been around for eighty years, it's only been truly known for a little more than half that amount," she explained, sighing. The houses they passed were all middle-class looking, and they passed at least two golf courses.

"Almost there. See that blinking street light at the next intersection? One left turn and we're home," explained Barbara, smiling.

"Are those golf courses public, by any chance?" Bastion asked curiously. "If they are, Alan, I'd be glad to go for a game with you and you as well, Bobby...and if you women are interested as well..."

"They're public, all right. But we usually go to a better course a little ways out of town," replied Violet. Before anymore could be said, the crunching of tires on stone could be heard as they pulled into the Haverbrooks' driveway. Their front yard was rather large, scattered with flowering trees and holding a patch of pines in the corner by the intersection. A creek gurgled near a trampoline, the entire scene framing the large, wooden house built into the side of a hill. Behind it was a fenced-off area, likely an outdoor pool or garden.

"Oh, my...Violet, why didn't you tell me about how nice your house was...or that you had...a trampoline?" Bastion looked a bit excited at that last. "Mum and Dad never would get me one...I couldn't seem to ever convince them..."

"How come?" Alan asked.

"I think they worried that their only child might get seriously hurt...even though I pointed out I could easily be harmed in group sports..."

Violet thought for a few moments. "Does falling off and hitting your head on a tree, face-planting the trampoline, or dodging rocks count as 'getting hurt?'" she asked finally. Cherri had copied Violet's thoughtful look, making her appearance quite adorable.

"Er...did that happen to you, Violet, darling?" Bastion asked.

"Well...I was the one who face-planted the trampoline. Bobby was the one who fell off and hit the tree. After we both laughed at him, he threw rocks at us and we had to dodge. But..." began Violet.

"But we crashed into each other," finished Cherri. Bobby had a triumphant grin on his face.

"Well, er...hmmm," Bastion rubbed the back of his hand against the back of his head. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, then...Injuries are unavoidable, but I can try...Violet, you won't be able to bounce with me, though...perhaps I can entertain you..."

"That could be interesting," Alan grinned.

A blush came over Violet's face as a few images ran through her head and Bobby smirked. "Ooh, Vi's thinkin' dirty thoughts!" he teased. Her blush deepened as she glared fiery daggers at her brother. Cherri sweat-dropped, then copied the expression.

"Er," Bastion said, blushing as well.

Haylee looked, not entirely understanding. "Why is sissa all red?"

Barbara sweat-dropped and sighed. "I'll tell you when you're older, sweetie. C'mon kids," she stated. Everyone climbed out of the limo, Barbara with a tight hold on her son's ear.

"Ow ow ow, Mom! Sorry!!" he whined, wincing.

Bastion picked up his bags and then Violet's. "Violet, love, you'll have to tell me where to put your bags and where to put mine..."

"Bastion...a word if I may," Alan said, a slightly nervous look on his face.

"Will do, Bastion-baby!" she replied. Everyone headed inside while the two stayed out on the driveway to talk.

"Yes, Alan, what is it?" Bastion asked.

"I wanted to warn you that Bobby's in the guest room. I understand you've been sleeping in the same bed with Violet so I hope it's not a problem for you to sleep in her bedroom with her..."

"Oh, no...the first night she was at my house she slept in my room...Her fear of thunderstorms due to that..." Bastion's eyes flashed again.

"Okay...glad that's okay with you, young man..."

"Bastion-baby! Dad! Come on!! You know the mosquitoes come out around this time!" called an ever-impatient Violet. Half a second after she spoke, she slapped her arm. "Stupid bug," she grumbled.

The group walked into the house and Bastion followed the girls up to Violet's bedroom. "Violet, I...oh, my." Bastion was stunned. The room was rather spacious, the walls painted a cheerful pink. On one wall there was a window overlooking the front yard, and on another was a sliding-door closet. The bed had varying shades of pink covers and pillows, a desk and bean bag chair filling out the rest of the room. On the walls were posters of Yugi, Joey, and even a hand-drawing of Watapon and Kuriboh. "That...is...a lot of pink, darling..." Bastion said, very stunned.

Violet struck a pose from atop her bed. "Cherri helped me decorate!" she stated.

Cherri was beside her almost instantly, striking an identical pose. "I helped her decorate!" she repeated.

"Er...wow..." Bastion's expression showed that he wasn't really sure about the decoration. "This is...interesting..."

Violet hopped off the bed and hugged Bastion, catching his tone and expression. "You don't have to sleep here if you want. You can always share the guest room," she stated.

"Well, this doesn't look like the Barbie aisle invaded the room, and I rather like Watapon. I just haven't seen...this much pink before. And...I'd sleep in this room with you even if it looked like Barbie's Dream House," Bastion said, now over the shock.

Violet grinned broadly and kissed Bastion full on the lips, causing Cherri to quietly slip past them out of the room. "Kids! Dinner'll be ready in half an hour!!" called Barbara. Everyone except the two teens yelled back some sort of reply. Since the house had an extremely high ceiling, echoes could be heard.

Bastion just relaxed into the kiss. "Oh, Violet," he said when the kiss finally broke, "I've dreamed of this...just being here with you and you safe..."

"Safe from what, Bastion-baby? Nothing ever happens here," she replied. Apparently, Violet had been the only one not to receive a memo about Mike and his gang in Cleveland.

"I meant...after all that we've been through...you're not in the hospital and you're safe in my arms...I was actually frightened that horrible night when your spleen went..." Bastion couldn't keep the pain from his voice.

"Oh, that..." Violet frowned, hugging Bastion a little tighter. "I didn't want to worry you...but, I'm glad things turned out okay. Right?"

"Yes...hmm...I believe Cherri left us alone..." He got a look on his face and dive-bombed onto the bed. "I had to test your bed!" he said with a smile.

Violet blinked, then laughed and jumped on it as well. There was a foam pad on top of the springy mattress, cushioning their movements. "Like it?"

Bastion relaxed on the bed. "Yes, very much...I think I shall like to sleep here...especially with you, Violet..." He reached and brushed her bangs with his hand lovingly.

Violet blushed and kissed his cheek. "I'm excited to be sleeping with you again, too, Bastion-baby," she replied. The moment could have lasted forever, had Cherri and Bobby not run in at that very moment and jumped on the bed.

"Oh, bloody...why does this happen to us?" Bastion wondered aloud to the powers that be.

Violet could have sworn that she heard a distant laugh from high above, but decided it was just her imagination. "Told you I'd get payback, and double at that!" stated Bobby, standing.

Cherri sweat-dropped. "Sorry, Violet-ani. He gave me bubblegum. You know I can't resist that..."

"Oh, well," Bastion sighed. He then smelled something delicious. "What is that delectable smell?" he asked curiously.

The Haverbrook children and Cherri grinned. "I'd recognize that smell anywhere, even after all this time!" stated Cherri.

Violet and Bobby nodded eagerly. "Barbecue ribs and buttered potatoes!"the siblings cheered in unison.

In the kitchen, Barbara sighed. "This is going to be Dinner Survival 101 for Bastion..."

Bastion grinned. "Barbequed ribs and buttered potatoes? Wonderful! This is going to be great!"

Haylee came running into the room. "I wanna play! I wanna play! Sissa, I wanna play!"

Violet sighed. "All right, all right. Come o--" she began. However, a bundle of black and white fur raced into the room, pinning Violet back onto the bed. A second cat, far less fluffy and all black, walked lazily in after his partner. "Coco! Loki!! I missed you two..."

"You didn't mention you had cats! Hello, there," Bastion said, delightedly. The black and white kitten padded up to Bastion and started purring, letting him pet it. The solid black kitten sidled up to him, acted nicely...and swiped at him. "Ouch!" Bastion yelped. "I just don't have much luck with cats, do I?" Bastion said this with a laugh.

Violet frowned and rapped the black kitten lightly on the head. "Don't worry; he's like that with all the guys, even Dad and Bobby. Guess he's just over-protective of us girls. He's Coco and the nice one is Loki," she explained. As if to prove her point, Coco bit Bobby's hand as he went to pet him. Of course, this caused him to cry out, and run out of the room to find a bandage.

"Hmmm...sounds like Kamineko," Bastion remarked. "I keep forgetting...have you ladies heard of an anime known as 'Azumanga Daioh?'"

"YAY! I love Chiyo-chan!" Haylee squealed.

Both girls nodded. "Kamineko was a bad kitty. But Coco's intentions are good, so I decided to name him differently. I always liked Yomi, but...Haylee and Cherri-ani think I'm more of a Tomo," explained Violet, grinning sheepishly.

"And they think I'm like Chiyo-chan! Which is cool!!" cheered Cherri happily.

"I detest that perverted teacher...Thank God there aren't any of those at Duel Academy," Bastion said.

Violet sent Bastion a look. "What about Crowler? He WAS outside the girls' dorm in a...wetsuit," she reminded him, shivering.

Cherri did the same. "Eep..."

"I don't think he was like the teacher in Azumanga...I don't think he's interested in teen girls...fortunately..."

"Bleh...he's still weird looking," muttered Violet, stroking Coco.

"All right, dinner's ready!" called Barbara. The room emptied of all life-excluding Bastion-in a matter of milliseconds.

Bastion gamely followed. "Oh, my," he said when he reached the dining room. "This looks absolutely delicious, Barbara," he said as he sat down.

"Why thank you, Bastion. There's also pumpkin pie for dessert. I've had one saved in the freezer," replied Barbara.

"Bastion-baby, I'll tell you the three steps to a Haverbrook dinner. First, Dad gets to pick his food first—lucky. Second, after that it's a free-for-all. And third, you'd better be quick," Violet explained. Alan had just started step one.

"Sounds a bit like Duel Academy in the Slifer cafeteria," Bastion said, at ease. "This will be quite fun..."

"Yay! Dinner!" Haylee said happily.

The second step one was completed, so everyone except Barbara reached for whatever they could get. She sighed; this was going to be a long summer.

_And so, we end Bastion's introduction to South Royalton, Ohio! So two of our couples are in places new to the boys. But there is another couple we haven't seen for a bit…Tyson Hassleberry and Rosa Jimenez. Yes, they're in Spain by now. So what has happened to our other couple since they left Texas? Tune in next time for "Welcome to España!" Until then, please read and review!_


	65. Welcome to Espana!

Chapter LXV: Welcome to España

_Hello, again,_ Summer Love, Summer Fears _fans! For those of you who have been waiting eagerly for the return of Tyson and Rosa, the wait is finally OVER! Thanks to all of you who have been reading and reviewing faithfully! And for those of you who are slaving over midterms and preparing for tests, we wish you luck! And since today, November 4__th__, is Election Day in the US, if you're old enough and registered, please remember to vote. Thank you!_

_On with the story…Last time, Bastion and Violet arrived safely in Ohio with her family and the Ra boy realized he was going to have a very good time. So now…we bring you the beginning of Tyson Hassleberry's adventure in Spain!_

_**Disclaimer: Please check previous chapters and please don't sue. Thank you! **_

_Authors' note: Since we are in Spain now, we can assume that Tyson is making full use of his fluent Spanish. So in the tradition of movies set in foreign lands, you'll see English, but they're speaking Spanish._

_Warning: Comical undressing scene!_

About a week previously...Tyson Hassleberry staggered off of the 747 into the Barcelona International Airport. "That was a long plane flight, Spanish Rose..."

Rosa looked a little green, having gotten air sick at least three times during the flight. "Yes, yes...oh," she groaned. Luckily, there was nothing left, so all she could do was gag.

Josephina didn't look too good either, and Jose patted his wife and daughter on the back comfortingly. "Do not worry. Soon we shall be on the road back home," he stated, sweat-dropping.

Tyson hadn't really slept on the 18-hour flight, and Rosa being sick had made him not want to sleep. 'No way I'd leave my fiancée in the lurch...I'm here to protect her...' he thought. "Oh, we have to go through customs, don't we?" he asked.

Jose nodded. The four made their way to security and got in line. "Ty-Ty, won't it go off again?" asked Rosa, remembering the last incident.

"It's all right...I remembered my medical documentation this time, and it's bilingual," he said cheerfully. "And the Rosettas are safe with Mama and Daddy..." Tyson smiled in triumph. He would always remember that moment when Rosa handed the Rosettas over to his parents. He loved Rosa with every fiber of his being.

"Ty-Ty," called Rosa. During his daydreaming, all three Jimenezes had gone through. It was his turn and the people behind him seemed to be the impatient type.

"Huh...oh! Sorry!" he apologized quickly, handed the screeners his information and went through without a problem. Then the group went through customs and Tyson got another stamp on his passport. "Never been to Spain before," he said cheerfully.

"Well, enjoy the view of Barcelona. We will take a taxi to get to the bus stop. From there, the bus will take us to Calientara," explained Jose. He hailed a taxi by whistling, though instead of yellow it was a bright blue color. The girls got in while the boys packed their bags into the trunk, and then climbed into the remaining seats. Jose told the driver their destination and they were off. Tyson looked at the various buildings and old churches and asked many questions.

"This city was started by the Romans, son. You can still see some of the old ruins of walls and roads," explained Jose, pointing.

"Some were used to make La Seu, a church," added Josephina, nodding towards a large, stone cathedral. "And way up there, over the city lays the mountains. Tibidabo is the highest peak, topped by Torre de Corserolla, a telecommunications tower," explained Rosa as the buildings became lower.

"Sam Hill," Tyson said. "That old church is incredible...There's nothin' this old in the States..." He thought a moment. "There are some things that've been standin' for a few hundred years, but nothing as old as over a thousand years old..."

Rosa and her father grinned proudly. "Calientara is even older!" he stated.

"Yes! One building is over five-hundred years old," added Rosa. Josephina sighed as they finally came to a stop on the outskirts of the city. Nearby was parked a bus, painted an even more shocking color of salmon pink. There were no windows, and it was very open, with baggage being tied to the roof.

"Wow...that's some neat bus!" Tyson said.

"It's standard transportation for country towns like ours," explained Rosa. They grabbed their bags, Josephina paying the cab driver while Jose passed the luggage up to the driver.

"We're ridin' on it? Cool! This is like Army transportation! I love it!" Tyson said cheerfully.

Rosa grinned. "A chicken," she replied. Seeing his blank stare, she pointed to his head where a white chicken sat. "A chicken."

"There's...a chicken?" Tyson asked, a little surprised. The chicken clucked. Tyson couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I don't mind poultry..."

"It's okay," Rosa smiled, taking the chicken off of his head and holding it.

Josephina barely caught an egg as it rolled off of Tyson's head, sighing. "Chickens, eggs...oh, goodness," she muttered. Jose laughed, and the four managed to find a spot on the bus. The chicken had flown to its owner, leaving its egg with them.

Tyson cracked up. "As long as she didn't leave guano on my head, I'm one happy soldier...'cause I'm here with my Spanish Rose and my future in-laws!"

Rosa grinned and went to kiss Tyson, but everyone was sent flying as the bus jerked into motion. She ended up head-butting him instead, landing on his lap with her arms around his neck. "Ow..."

Tyson was stunned for a second and had to shake his head. "Rosa, darlin', are you all right?" He pulled her up and held her to him.

Rosa shook her head as well and sighed. "Yes. I have not been on this in a while," she replied, sighing. As they followed a curve, the high, stone cliffs disappeared to reveal the sparkling Mediterranean Sea coast.

"I'll be..." he said softly. "Rosa?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you..." He drew her face to his and kissed her softly.

Rosa blushed lightly, and was about to deepen the kiss when they hit a rather nasty pothole. Everyone—and everything—jumped again, causing Rosa to go crashing into the aisle. Of course, Tyson was dragged right along with her and he landed right on top of her.

"Oh...I...ow! Rosa, darlin'...are you okay?" he asked as he helped her up. "We're havin' a Private Truesdale moment here!"

Rosa sighed as they got back into the seat, adjusting one of her T-shirt sleeves. "Yes, I am fine. We will have to be careful from now on..."

"Knock on wood, darlin'," he answered. Fortunately nothing more happened on the way to Calientara. "Are we here?" Tyson asked when they finally stopped.

This time when the bus jerked, both had instinctively grasped something. Jose grinned and nodded. "Yes! Welcome to Calientara, my boy," he replied. They had stopped on a hill overlooking the town, which consisted of numerous white houses covered with red tiled roofs. In the center was a plaza with a fountain and marketplace, along with a church whose bell they could hear ringing. Before the town lay the vast Mediterranean, and on the outskirts of the eastern edge rested a large coliseum. Rosa sighed happily, letting the cool ocean breeze blow through her hair. Dozens of flowers identical to the one she'd given Tyson scattered the fields, along with some golden ones.

"You didn't tell me how beautiful it was here, darlin'..." Tyson's eyes were wide with amazement. He breathed in the sea air. "Aw, shucks...this is amazin'...but..."

She turned to him, her parents busy unloading their bags. "Yes, Ty-Ty?"

"Not as amazin' as the woman who's gonna be my wife," he said as he put his arm lovingly around her. And for once, nothing happened to spoil this moment.

Rosa sighed contentedly, glad to be home and with the man she loved. "All right, kids. We should get going, no?" asked Jose.

"Yeah... Let's go!" Tyson S. Hassleberry said happily, looking forward to seeing Rosa's home.

Rather than heading down the dirt track towards town, however, Jose turned right and started off along an even less-used dirt track. It could hardly be seen amongst the tall grasses and flowers. "We live up here, on this hill. This entire field is our property," explained Jose.

"You see, my great-great-great grandfather founded Calientara. But Papi turned down the position of mayor for bullfighting," added Rosa.

"I'll be," Tyson said. As they walked up the road through the property, Tyson smiled. "This reminds me of Texas...When I've walked through the ranch, we have flowers and grass like this...but I really like these flowers," he concluded, pointing to some growing wild in the grass.

Rosa grinned at this. "Well, those are very rare, Ty-Ty. And...they happen to be called 'Spanish Roses,'" she explained. Jose and Josephina decided to leave the two alone, and continued on while they stopped to admire the flowers. The Spanish Roses didn't look all that different from regular roses, except that they were in full bloom during summer instead of winter.

"Spanish roses...seems right that they're here...where you are," he said sweetly.

He took her hand. "You're the rarest flower here, darlin'."

Rosa blushed. 'Always the flatterer,' she thought. She reached up to kiss him softly, a breeze blowing past them from the ocean. However, as usual, something came along to ruin this oh-so-sweet moment. A goat about the size of a full-grown Golden Retriever ran over, and with a loud "baa" shoved the couple into the grass.

"SAM HILL!" Tyson yelped as Rosa fell on top of him. "WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?!" And then he saw the goat. "And who or what is that?!"

Rosa sighed and turned to face the white goat, its horns small and curved. "Topo...you have gotten big, boy," she stated. The goat let out another "baa" and nudged Rosa, who was now sitting in the grass beside Tyson. "Ty-Ty, this is Topo, my pet goat. He always was a little pushy..."

"A little pushy? Uh...hi, little lady," Tyson said, extending his hand to pet the goat. His brain, affected by jet lag, had mistranslated what Rosa said.

Topo suddenly snorted, and promptly rammed into Tyson so as to knock him over again. Rosa was laughing as she helped him back into a sitting position. "Ty-Ty, he is a boy," she stated, sweat-dropping.

"Oops...stupid jet lag," Tyson groaned. "Sorry, Topo... I should've known..." He started laughing.

At this Topo "baa'd" happily, nudging Tyson in a friendly way. Rosa was just standing up when the sound of a truck with a bad exhaust pipe could be heard coming their way. Her eyes widened. "Oh, Lord..."

"Uh, darlin'? Who are those guys?" he asked.

"Quickly, move quickly!" As the truck neared, one could see it was quite the old rust bucket. However, bright painted colors and graffiti covered the truck to make it more eye-appealing. Two men sat in the cab, while three more sat in the open back end. "Ty-Ty...it is my brothers...oy! Juan, Jacobo, Bruno, Jesus, Horatio!!" she called, running down the path.

"Your brothers? HOWDY!" he shouted to them, following his fiancée.

The truck came to an abrupt stop, the three in the back shouting insults to the driver. "Juan! You big idiot!!" shouted one. He easily hopped over the truck, banging on the driver's door with his fist.

Juan, obviously the driver, kicked open the door, sending his brother flying to the ground. "Do not call me an idiot when you have a brain smaller than a bull's, Bruno!!"

"Uh..." Tyson stood, stunned. "Rosa, what now?" he asked her softly.

Rosa sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "They will work it out," she replied simply.

Juan and Bruno had started wrestling, two of the other three boys cheering them on. Then, the passenger side of the cab opened, and the last brother stepped out. "Ah, hola, sis! Who is..?" he began.

However, his greeting alerted the other four to her presence, and she was instantly tackled by them. "Sis!" they cheered happily.

"…This? Ay, ay, ay," finished the fifth with a sigh.

"Uh...hola?" Tyson said. "I'm Tyson Hassleberry...I am...uh..." He'd forgotten the word for fiancé! Then he abruptly remembered. "I am your sister's fiancé and she is my love..."

"Hola! So this is the famous Senor Hassleberry we've heard about," a muscular young man with black hair in a crew cut, green eyes and a thin mustache greeted. "I'm Bruno, Rosa's eldest brother...you are the first to beat my father in combat and treat our sister with honor. I shall warn you that I am a bull fighter as well, and will not stand for another Jorge..." He caught Tyson with his gaze.

Tyson met it squarely. "I would never dishonor your sister, Bruno..."

"Jacobo, Jesus, off! You idiots!!" shouted Rosa. She knocked them away with two swift punches, anger marks covering her head.

Both boys were identical, with a wrestler's figure, slicked back brown hair, and matching brown eyes. "We're sorry, sis," they stated at the same time.

Juan helped his sister onto her feet, then turned to Tyson. "Oy, oy. I'm Juan! I am the second-oldest and a bullfighter!!" he stated triumphantly. Juan was only slightly shorter than his brother, with brown eyes and black hair that reached mid-ear.

Finally, a young man with red hair came up to Tyson. "Hola, Senor Hassleberry. I am Horatio, Rosa's fifth-eldest brother." He spoke with as much gusto as the other four, though Tyson noticed he dressed less roughly than the others and with a bit more panache. Further, his hands were only a bit softer than the other men.

"Pardon me, Horatio, but are you the artist that Rosa's talked about?" "Yes, I am. I enjoy working with metal sculpture and the clay."

One of the twins started to laugh. "Yeah, he is an artist! He is..."

"...An artist! Ha ha," finished the other twin. However, a fiery glare from their sister quieted them.

"Ah, Rosa, they were just joking," stated Juan, sweat-dropping.

"Well, I just hope that Papi will not be his usual self," she muttered, dusting off her pants.

"It is the way things are," Horatio said softly, and then straightened. "We are all pleased that you love our sister for the right reasons. Rosa's last suitor was...Bruno?" he prompted.

"Jorge was..." Bruno let loose with some choice Spanish curse words that Tyson knew.

"I agree very strongly, Bruno," Tyson said. "Remember that night I had to use the field, Spanish Rose?" he asked his fiancée.

"Yes," she replied.

Jacobo snickered. "Spa-nish Rose?" he teased, grinning.

Rosa glared daggers at him, and would have lunged at him had Juan not spoken. "What is 'the field?'" he asked curiously.

"It's a place I go when I don't want to repeat bad language in front of ladies, includin' my mother, your mother and my love," Tyson answered.

"You are very polite...Tyson, was it?" Bruno asked.

"Yes...So, Jesus and Jacobo, you're twins?"

"Yes, and I am the eldest of them," Jesus said. "My little sister had better not forget it," he grinned, giving his twin a noogie.

"Oh...he is nothing like his namesake," Horatio groaned softly, knowing what was coming.

Jacobo shoved his brother away angrily, teeth gritted. "Jesus! You are only older by fifteen seconds!! Do not treat me like a baby!" he yelled fiercely.

Rosa sighed. "My brothers are big idiots," she muttered.

Juan grinned. "You have to admit, it IS entertaining..."

Tyson grinned. "It is very fun, Juan...Like watching the Sarge and our friends get into fights...Your sister whales on 'em when they really get outta line..."

"My sister fights with the best of the boys," Bruno grinned.

Jacobo and Jesus, being the wrestlers of the family, had grabbed hold of each other. Rosa growled, promptly bonking their heads against each other. "Stop that right now! Really, I cannot believe that you two are older than me!!" she yelled.

Jacobo winced and rubbed his sore head. "Sorry, Rosa," he mumbled.

"So then, you two want a ride?" asked Juan.

Tyson had to admit to himself that it was rather warm out and he was carrying Rosa's and his bags. "I think we could use one...Rosa? Do you want a ride, darlin'?"

"Yes. I call driver!" she shouted. Before Bruno could stop her, she leapt swiftly into the driver's seat.

Juan sighed. "She has not changed one bit, it seems," he muttered. Both he and the twins got in the back, helping Tyson with the bags.

"Thanks, you two," Tyson grinned. "Man, this is a wonderful truck!" he complimented.

"It's no big deal," Jesus said, "but..."

"...is better than walking, no?" finished Jacobo. Bruno and Horatio took the hint that Rosa wanted Tyson up front with her, and climbed in back.

"Come on, Ty-Ty!" she called, waving.

Tyson moved into the front of the truck with Rosa. "Hey, darlin', you're drivin'?" he asked, smiling. "If I'd known, we coulda driven around Crawford..."

"Here en España, the driving age is lower. So, here I can drive, but not in America," she explained. Rosa put the pedal to the metal—literally—and zoomed off down the track, Topo running after the truck from behind. The guys in the back laughed and cheered, the bumps making the ride like a roller coaster.

"YEEEEEEE-HAH!" Tyson yelled, cheering. "THIS IS GREAT!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" came screams from the back of the pick-up. However, they were screams of sheer delight.

The front of house could be seen in the distance, a one-story sprawling ranch house. "Here comes the jump!" shouted Rosa. The guys in the back instinctively grabbed the sides of the truck bed, as it went flying about six feet into the air.

"DIOS MIO!" shouted the twins, Horatio and Bruno.

"YEEEEEEAAAAAAH!" Tyson cheered. "THIS IS AMAZIN', DARLIN'!!!"

The truck landed with a few heavy bumps, then went back to the normal track. "Yes. You should have seen their faces the first time I drove. 'Girls cannot drive', indeed," she explained, grinning.

"You fellas should see the gals in the US Army," Tyson called back in the truck.

"Women in the US Army act like that?" Bruno asked, looking a little green. "Yup," Tyson grinned.

"And you know this how?" Horatio asked.

"My daddy was in the Army."

"That is very..." Jesus started.

"...good! Phenomenal!!" finished Jacobo.

Juan sighed. "I'll bet Papi spoke of how his ancestor was in the army, no?"

"Yes, he did," Tyson answered. "I'm glad to know y'all have that tradition, too."

The truck came to a stop and the men piled out of the back of the truck. "What a ride!" they shouted in Spanish.

Josephina came outside with a basket, but stopped when she saw the boys. "Oh! My kids!!" she gasped in surprise.

Hearing his wife, Jose stepped outside as well and grinned. "Ah, I was wondering what was taking so long..."

"Yeah...Y'all should've told me...Rosa's a very good driver!" Tyson whooped, catching said young woman by the waist and twirling her around.

"Be careful with her, Tyson," Bruno said warningly.

"Yes, she is our only sister," Horatio added.

"Could've fooled us, Horatio," Jesus grinned wickedly.

Jacobo laughed and smacked his brother on the back good-naturedly. "Boys! Will you not give your mother a hug?" called Josephina, walking towards them with Jose in tow.

"Ah, Mama! Papi!!" greeted Juan, smiling. He hugged his mother and then shook his father's hand.

"How is the bullfighting coming, Juan?" asked Jose.

"It's easy, Papi. The Madrid circuit is no problem," he replied.

Bruno smiled at his father. "Papi, the Barcelona circuit is very easy, too. I have defeated every bull!"

"We have defeated our opponents as well," Jesus and Jacobo added.

"Papi, I have made a model of the conquistadores' body armor," Horatio added.

"Good, good, my sons," replied Jose. However, when he heard Horatio's statement, his glad expression changed to one of annoyance. "Horatio...you are still an artist? Have you no honor??" he asked. Rosa frowned, and Josephina merely sighed. Even Juan stepped down from his position of second-eldest, all from the family knowing that Jose ruled it with high expectations. Tyson sighed, too. He liked Rosa's redheaded brother and would love to know about the conquistadores' armor. But, taking Rosa's warning in Domino seriously, knew now was not the time to argue with her father on the matter.

"Yes, Papi, I am an artist," Horatio said.

Jose sighed and turned on his heel. "I will expect to see you in my study after lunch, Horatio," was all he stated before going back inside. Rosa pulled away from Tyson and went to her brother, hugging him comfortingly.

"Do not stay out too long, kids. The sun will burn you," stated Josephina before walking around the house to the back.

"He will never understand me," Horatio sighed.

"We don't either, brother," Bruno teased and the other men started in on an impromptu wresting match.

"Horatio," Tyson began, "I understand you...A friend of the Sarge's...um, 'scuse me, Jaden Yuki's...is an artist at Duel Academy. Not everybody's meant to be a fighter...And you're makin' suits of armor?"

"Yes," Horatio said. "Perhaps you would like to see my studio later?"

"I would," Tyson said with a grin.

Rosa smiled. She was about to say something when one of the men was shoved out of the match, knocking her face first into the dirt. It turned out to be none other than Jacobo, whose twin was busy laughing. "Jacobo...Jesus," she growled warningly.

"Sorry, sis, " they yelped, not wanting to incur their sister's wrath.

"Let me help you up," Horatio said, extending his hand.

"Me, too, darlin'," Tyson added. They helped her up and brushed her off. "Are you hurt, Spanish Rose?" Tyson asked.

"Yes, I am fine...thank you," she replied. Then, without warning she shoved the recently-stood Jacobo into his twin, sending them both to the ground.

Juan laughed. "Rosa never was one to take things lightly..."

"No, no, no...She never takes things lightly," Bruno said, who'd unfortunately been standing behind Jacobo and Jesus and now all three were on the ground. Horatio snickered. "My brothers, you never learn, do you?"

"No," both twins replied. All three boys got back onto their feet, Juan still laughing until he was shoved to the ground himself. A triumphant "baa" could be heard, and Topo was standing behind the now fallen Juan.

Rosa smiled and patted his head. "Good, Topo. You always knew just how to handle Juan..."

Everyone cracked up at this moment. And then Tyson yawned. "Stupid jet lag..."

"Why don't we have lunch and then take a nap?" offered Rosa, wrapping her arms around one of his.

"Uh...okay...Sorry, fellas, but I think I need a nap," Tyson groaned.

"It's no problem... future brother," Bruno offered, smiling.

"Even the best fighter tires," Horatio added.

"Yeah," the twins grinned.

"Perhaps Topo will not be so pushy inside," added Juan as he stood. So, everyone went inside to have lunch, and Tyson got to finally see Rosa's house. Everything was made of wood, and it looked like the blankets and curtains were handmade. On the walls hung pictures both ancient and recent, along with plaques commemorating Jose's and the boys' achievements. Well, all except for Horatio.

"Oh, wow," Tyson said, impressed. "This is incredible...Who made the blankets and curtains?" he asked.

"Mama and I. Of course the boys were not expected to sew or knit; that was women's work. Though, sometimes Horatio would sneak away to work with us or in his studio," explained Rosa.

"We may not understand Horatio, but we kept his secret," added Juan seriously.

"Thank you," Horatio whispered.

"A friend of mine pointed out that we need artists to make cool flags and armor," Tyson grinned, and yawned again.

Luckily, they'd reached the kitchen, which was a lot different than the ones Tyson may have been familiar with. The counter-tops and cupboards were all wood, and in a corner sat an old-fashioned stone oven. Not only that, there appeared to be a...chicken on the table?!

"Henrietta!" squealed Rosa. She picked up the white hen, scratching beneath the feathers on its head.

"Henrietta? You have a pet chicken, too?" Tyson asked. "Hello, there," he said easily. "Can I pet her too, Rosa darlin'?" It might be unusual for him to pet a critter like a chicken, but she was Rosa's treasured pet.

"You want to pet a chicken?" the five brothers asked.

"She's Rosa's pet," Tyson answered evenly.

Rosa thought for a few moments, then shrugged. "You can try. I can never tell if she will let you or not," she explained.

Jacobo grinned. "It's the Chicken Test!" he exclaimed.

Juan groaned. "Not this stupid theory again..."

"The...chicken test?" Tyson asked, stunned. "Yes. If the chicken bites, you aren't worthy of Rosa. If you are worthy, she will love you," Jesus explained.

Tyson reached out and gently petted Henrietta's feathers. "Hi, there, girl..." The chicken clucked and liked the touch of the American boy. "She likes me..."

Rosa grinned. "I knew she would. Even if Jesus and Jacobo's theory is garbage..."she replied, frowning. Then Josephina came in from outside, setting down the basket of fresh-picked green beans, snap peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.

"Ah, good, you finally came inside. The bread should be done," greeted Josephina, turning to the oven.

Tyson sniffed. "Yum...nothin' like fresh-baked bread. And Josephina, I know it'll be very delicious..."

"Thank you, Tyson. Rosa, could you get out the fruit platter?" asked Josephina.

"Yes, Mama," she replied.

While the two got the food out, the six boys sat at the table. "So, Tyson, what exactly do you do?" asked Juan curiously.

"I'm a student at Duel Academy with Rosa right now, and I'm an amateur paleontologist. I look for dinosaur bones. I wanted to be in the Army like my daddy, but I'm not sure that's gonna happen..."

"Oh, dueling. We still do not understand why our sister likes it so much. It is very difficult," explained Jacobo, scratching his head. Rosa had walked over, smiling as she set a bowl of fruit on the table.

"It's a challenge, but it's also a fight...you're fightin' with these huge monsters...Some of 'em, if they were real monsters, would rip your head off!"

"Really? Rosa's monsters did not seem all that scary," replied Juan. He was referring to her mixed deck of musical note soldiers, music spell and trap cards, and a few Spanish-themed monsters she'd found.

"You should see my dino deck," Tyson offered.

"A dino deck?" Bruno asked.

"Yup!" the American grinned. He pulled his deck out of his cargo pants and showed them the deck. Okay, they had to admit, some of those dinosaurs were scary.

"All right, all right, settle down, kids. Lunch is served. Jose! Lunch is ready!!" Josephina called, sitting down. A few moments later Jose walked in, sitting at the table as well. The lunch was light, as always, only including some bread with butter and jam along with fruit.

The group ate up and the Jimenez boys had very good manners. "Sam Hill..." Tyson said. "You guys eat way better than my platoon at school!"

"Your...platoon?" Bruno asked.

"Oh, sorry...my group of friends," Tyson answered. "I keep goin' into Army talk..."

Rosa smiled. "It's fine, Ty-Ty. We are lucky that you can speak Spanish. Imagine if you could not," she replied encouragingly. Everyone grimaced; that would have been a hindrance.

"It'd be real bad," Tyson said, grinning sheepishly at the thought.

"You are a gifted young man, Tyson," Horatio said as they ate. "Mama, this is very delicious, as always..."

"Yes, Mama," the other men said.

Josephina blushed. "Oh, all of you. It is so nice to have the whole family here again," she replied happily.

"Yes, it has been quite a while since we last ate together," agreed Jose.

"Well, I'm glad to get to know the..." Tyson couldn't hold back another yawn... "family...Sorry and excuse me, please..."

Rosa sighed. "Pardon, please. Ty-Ty and I are going to rest in the guest room," she explained, standing.

Tyson flushed as they got up from the table and headed to the guest room. "Sorry, darlin', I'm usually better than this..."

"Do not worry, Ty-Ty. They understand," she soothed. They went through a door and entered a bedroom decorated like the rest of the house. On the bedside table sat a handmade blue vase filled with the blue and purple flowers they'd seen outside in the field.

"This room's beautiful, Rosa..." Tyson said. "I think I'll get my sleepwear on and I'll try to get alert for you...Can't sleep with my fatigues on..." He got into his suitcase and then realized he needed something else as well. "Darlin'...uh...Where is the bathroom?" Tyson said this, turning around, and his jaw dropped. "SAM HILL!" he shouted. "ROSA!"

Rosa blinked in surprise at his shout, turning to face him. Her blouse was already off, giving him a nice view of her red bra. "Yes, Ty-Ty? What is the matter??"

The tough would-be soldier was flame red. "Uh...is...what the heck are you doin', darlin'? I mean..." he stammered in a voice about two octaves higher than his usual voice.

"What do you mean, 'what am I doing'? We are engaged, no?? Because of that, all restrictions have been removed," she replied simply. Rosa turned back around and unhooked her bra, slipping it off.

"I...uh..." Between the jet lag and seeing his fiancée topless for the first time, Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry passed out.

When Rosa heard a "thump" against the floor, she quickly turned only to find that her big, strong fiancé had fainted. "Ay! Oh, no!! Mama!" called Rosa, shocked. Luckily, he'd fallen onto the rug, so the most he'd have was a bump.

Josephina ran in to find her only daughter kneeling beside her unconscious fiancé. "Rosa? What happened, my daughter??" she asked worriedly. "I don't know, Mama. He just...fainted."

To add insult to injury, the rest of the family raced in, Jose fearing that he'd misjudged Tyson. However, seeing that the boy was unconscious on the floor, Jose, Bruno, Juan, Jesus, Jacobo and Horatio realized Tyson was very honorable. "Er...Rosa...what happened?" Horatio asked.

Even though they were family, Rosa was embarrassed and quickly slipped back on the recently discarded shirt. "Well, I was getting undressed to change. But...when Ty-Ty saw me, he...fainted," she explained, frowning. This seemed rather strange to all of them as well, since they'd forgotten American traditions were different from their own.

"Oh...why would he faint?" Horatio asked. "He likes girls, right?"

"Yes," Bruno said, stunned. They got the unconscious boy onto the bed and worked to restore him to consciousness.

Tyson woke up moments later, a bit spacey. "Oh...what in Sam Hill happened? Rosa?"

Rosa sighed in relief. "Oh, Ty-Ty, thank goodness. I was so worried. You fainted," she explained, kissing his forehead.

"Why did you do that?" asked an ever-curious Juan.

And then Tyson realized the entire family was around him. "Oh, no...Uh...your sister was in a state of undress...I've never seen her like that..."

"What is the problem? You are engaged," Bruno said, puzzled.

"Yes, there is no problem with that," Horatio added. "Uh...there isn't?" Tyson asked.

"Er...no," Jesus said. And Tyson felt like an idiot.

Jose shook his head. "Of course not. Once you are engaged, all limitations are removed," he explained.

"Consider it a special privilege since before the engagement it went against tradition to do anything more than kiss," added Jacobo.

"Then...I'm glad I was an officer and a gentleman...I have a headache..."

"Since there is no problem here, let us leave them alone," Horatio suggested to the group.

And then, the couple was alone. "Sorry, Rosa," Tyson apologized. "I...uh...was amazed..."

She blushed, the compliment being the last thing she expected him to say. "Thank you, Ty-Ty. I should have told you about the removed limitations earlier. Do you...still want to change?" she asked tentatively now.

"Uh...yeah," Tyson answered. "I might need a little help, though," he admitted.

"I will be glad to help, Ty-Ty. But...should I get changed first, or you?"

"Uh...L-ladies first," he said hesitantly. He was nervous about seeing her this way, but now that he was prepared, it wouldn't be such a shock. Rosa nodded and pulled out a pale blue cotton nightgown from her suitcase. She then glanced at Tyson, before pulling her shirt off once more. This time, however, there was no concealing bra. Tyson swallowed. "You...look beautiful, darlin'..."

She blushed again, and decided it'd be best to put on the nightgown before removing her pants. Rosa did so, then slipped them off to place them beside her other discarded garments. "All right, your turn..."

Tyson swallowed hard. This was the first time a girl had ever seen him without anything on. "Could...you get my boots off, darlin'? I'm feelin' kinda shaky..."

Rosa understood and nodded, pulling off the cumbersome boots. She then grinned, and pulled off his bandana. "You look so cute without this..."

"I...I do?" he asked.

"Yes, yes." She ran her fingers through the slightly matted hair, leaning down to give him a kiss.

He shivered. "Uh...I'll get the rest..." He'd set out his short-sleeved camouflage-print pajamas on the bed before he'd passed out and was now ready to get his shirt off. He gently pulled his shirt and everything else off, and blushed as he stood before her.

Rosa's face went beat red. Tyson truly was a well-toned boy, with a six-pack and all. But when she saw the dinosaur boxers, she couldn't help but giggle a little. "Oh, Ty-Ty, how cute!"

"Uh...oh! You mean the boxers! You like 'em?" he asked.

She nodded. "Like I said, they are very adorable."

"Oh, good," Tyson said. "This is better than the airport and the strip search..."

Rosa sighed at the memory and handed him his pajamas. "Come now, we do not need you fainting again," she teased.

"I won't," he laughed a bit nervously. "I'll just...get my pajamas on..." Tyson pulled his pajamas on and stood there again. "Like these?" he asked.

Rosa had sat down on the bed, and now smiled. "Yes, they look good on you."

"You look lovely in yours," he said softly. He sat back on the bed. "Just so you know...even with the restrictions lifted...I'm not ready to break everything yet..."

"I understand, Ty-Ty. I...do not think I am ready, either," she replied. They got under the light covers of the bed, Rosa instantly snuggling against his chest.

Tyson yawned sleepily, hugging his love to him. "I just realized somethin', Spanish Rose...we missed something in the States that I wanted to show you...and it's the first one I've missed in the States."

"And that would be?" she asked groggily.

"The Fourth of July, darlin'...It's our Independence Day...the day the United States decided it was gonna be a country....we have fireworks, barbeques...parades..." He was drifting off.

"Well, perhaps you can show me another year," Rosa yawned. Neither teen was able to get another word in before falling asleep.

_And so Tyson and Rosa made it to Spain okay and had comical happenings. Other than that, they're in good shape. Next time…we return to Domino to the Rhodes siblings and Jaden as they get their driver's licenses. Does disaster loom on the horizon? Will everyone survive? Find out next time in "Real Gone." Until then, read, review and stay tuned. Thank you!_


	66. Real Gone

Chapter LXVI: Real Gone

_Hello again, everyone and welcome again! We got reviews so quickly, we updated a little bit early. So thank you again for such quick reviews and for reading. We're all glad you like Tyson and Rosa and that they're back in the story and that won't be their last appearance in this tale! _

_So, to recap, Tyson started his adventure in Spain by riding on a bus and then meeting Rosa's pet goat, her five brothers and her pet chicken, Henrietta. And, after lunch, Tyson saw his fiancée in a state of undress for the very first time. He fainted from the shock but everything turned out okay. So now, we return to Domino and see the day when three young people get what many teens dream of…their driver's licenses. Will everyone survive? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: In addition to what we've already established, we don't own Sheryl Crow's "Real Gone."**_

And so, back in Domino, the younger Rhodes siblings and Jaden Yuki had the opportunity to get something that they hadn't had the opportunity to get in all their time at Duel Academy: their driver's licenses. "All right...freedom to drive!" Chazz grinned.

"Yeah...no parents with us," Jaden added.

Alexis gave him a set warning glare. "Now, Jaden, promise me. You WILL NOT take lessons from Atty or Violet. Right?"

"I promise," Jaden groaned. "Dorothy let me try out her truck at Duel Academy," he pointed out. "And I am old enough to get my license."

"Me, too, sis!" Chazz said.

"I know, I know. Anyway...what do we do first again?" she muttered, thinking.

"Buckle up," the boys groaned.

"Click it or ticket," Jaden quoted. "We've been hearing that since we were little kids."

Alexis sweat-dropped. "I meant, where do we start to get our licenses?"

"I think we go to the DMV and get a written test," Chazz said. "We did it for our learner's permits..."

"Yeah, why do we have to do it again?" Jaden wondered.

"Well, looks like we'll have to get someone to drive us there," replied Alexis, sighing.

The boys looked at Atticus, who looked delighted to offer his services, but Jean Louise Rhodes, who was home, fortunately, said, "Oh, no you don't, Atticus Lee Rhodes...I'll take you four down, all right?"

"Thanks, Mom! I want to survive," Chazz said with a sidelong glance at his brother.

Atticus pouted. "Oh, all right. You guys never let me have any fun," he whined.

Alexis sighed, thanking the higher powers above that her mother was home. "Let's go, then..."

And so the group headed down to the DMV and took their written tests. "Man, why didn't I take this test last year?" Jaden groaned.

"You hate tests?" Chazz teased.

"Dude, I was recovering from Kagemoru last summer!" Jaden said pointedly.

"It took you all summer?"

"Shut up, Chazz..."

"You know, you two COULD be using this time to look over the information instead of arguing," stated Alexis from behind her driver course book.

Jaden and Chazz looked at each other. "She's right, you know..."

"Yeah..." They looked down at their books and studied until their names were called. They each headed into a cubicle and began their exams. The tests were on computer so they knew the results the minute they finished the tests.

And..."I PASSED!" the kids shouted at the same time.

"Wait...Jaden, you passed?" Chazz asked.

"Yup!" Jaden said proudly.

"Cool, we all passed the test. Now for the driving portion," stated Alexis. Jaden grinned. Chazz prayed for his soul. "Just remember, Jaden. You DON'T want to hit the cones..."

"I know that, Alexis," Jaden said as they headed to the driving course.

"You'll do fine, all of you...pay attention, Atticus, you need a refresher," Scout said.

Atticus blinked. "Wait, so...what does that mean again?" he asked.

"That means you need to relearn, bro," Chazz said as they all watched Alexis pass her driving test.

"YAY, LEX!" the group of four cheered as she came out of the car.

"So...who's next again?"

Chazz went next. "I'm gonna Chazz up this test!" he said eagerly. He got into the car, strapped in, checked his mirrors and got going. He did very well...that is, until he got to parallel parking. "Oh, COME ON!" he shouted, frustrated.

After three tries, he got into the space successfully and returned to the start of the course. "I PASSED!" he said, giving the victory sign. "I did it, bro! I did it, sis!"

Alexis and Atticus both hugged their brother. "Great, bro!" they cheered. Now it was Jaden's turn...

"Here I go!" Jaden said cheerfully. He got into the car...and triggered the windshield wipers. "Oops...sorry!" he said to the tester.

"It's okay...happens all the time," she said.

The driving test went much better than anyone expected. Jaden passed with a 92. "I PASSED! That's game!"

They sweat-dropped at his last statement, but Alexis ran over to kiss him none the less. "Oh, Jaden, I'm so proud!"

"Uh...slacker...this isn't a duel," Chazz said.

"I know...but it feels like I won a duel!" Jaden said cheerfully.

"Well, kids...now that you've done so well, I'll let you pick who drives home," Scout said, pulling out her pager. "I'm needed at the hospital."

Atticus opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Alexis. "I say let Jaden drive."

"I second that," Chazz said. "Jaden, you have the honors..."

Jaden grinned, and pulled out a pair of sunglasses he'd been keeping in his pocket and put them on. "Let's go..." He got in the car and started the engine. The radio oddly was playing Sheryl Crow's "Real Gone."

Alexis was sitting up front with him, while Atticus and Chazz sat in the back. "You guys are no fun," he mumbled, pouting again.

Jaden got going as fast as the speed limit would allow on the freeway. "WHOO-HOO!" he shouted happily.

Alexis' eyes widened. "Jaden! Be careful!!" she yelled. Meanwhile, Atticus had a broad grin on his face and cheered happily.

"THIS IS A BLAST!" Jaden whooped.

"YEAH, SIS!!!" Chazz added, grinning.

She sighed, placing a hand to her forehead. 'Are all guys...like this?' Alexis wondered.

Fortunately for Alexis's nerves, the ride ended quickly. "Whoa, what a rush!" Jaden said as they parked.

"You drove pretty well, Jaden," Chazz said. "Next time, though, it's my turn."

Alexis' brow twitched visibly, and she actually looked rather sick. Atticus grinned and poked her. "See? It wasn't THAT bad..."

"Lex?" the other two boys asked.

"Lex, you okay?" Jaden asked, concerned.

Atticus prodded her again, and in one swift motion she was basically crushing his hand. "I'm...fine. Just a little...car sick," she groaned, squeezing harder. Atticus was crying waterfall tears as a few cracks could be heard.

Jaden knew something was wrong. "Lex, you look more than a little car sick..." He moved to take her to the house. That was not a wise move.

Alexis' eyes widened, and she placed a hand over her mouth. However, that did little to stop her from losing her breakfast all over Jaden. "Ooh," she groaned.

Jaden was stunned. "Oh, jeez... Lex, let's get you inside, okay?"

"Dude, you need to clean up," Chazz pointed out.

"Let's worry about Lex first..."

"Good point."

The now-shaky Alexis was helped inside by the three boys, and laid down on the couch. "Jaden, go change. You won't help Lexi covered in...puke," stated Atticus.

Jaden headed to the bathroom, thankful his mother had insisted he pack an extra pair of clothes. He took a shower and then changed into a fresh pair of boxers, shorts and a T-shirt. He tossed his dirty clothes in a plastic bag, carrying them down to the laundry room, and came to the couch with a washcloth for Alexis. "Sorry," he said softly.

She sighed and shook her head, cleaning herself off with the washcloth. "Don't worry about it, Jaden. It was your first time driving..."

"I should've slowed down, babe...you weren't feeling good," he said, sitting at her side. "That washcloth cold enough?" he asked her, laying it on her forehead gently.

"Yeah...really, Jaden. It's okay...I understand," she replied. Alexis reached up to brush his cheek, not wanting him to feel guilty.

"Just take it easy...man...I didn't expect you to throw up on me this fast," he said softly and with a bit of his humor in his eyes.

Alexis giggled, smiling. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to...really."

"It's all right...I knew it'd happen eventually...just not now..."

She blinked, wondering what exactly it meant. Then, it hit her, and she blushed. "O-Oh..."

"Uh...Mom threw up on Dad just before they found out I was coming," Jaden explained.

"Well then, Jaden, I hope that I can throw up on you again," joked Alexis, smiling suggestively.

Jaden flushed. "Well...oh...then...you want kids?" he asked, smiling a little.

Alexis blushed. "Well, yeah...do you?" she asked.

In the kitchen..."They're talking about that?" Chazz whispered to Atticus.

"They are engaged, bro," the older boy whispered back.

Jaden swallowed and nodded. "Yeah...I do...but...not for a couple of years...we need to get married first..."

"OF COURSE YOU DO YOU IDIOT!" Chazz yelled.

"Uh...what?" Jaden was stunned by the sudden yell.

Atticus face-faulted, and Alexis clutched her head. "Ow ow ow," she groaned.

"Chazz, can we keep it down to a low roar, please?" Jaden called softly back. "And could you guys bring her a Tylenol?"

"I'll get it," replied Atticus. He turned on his heel and quickly went upstairs, coming back a few moments later with the bottle.

Chazz grabbed a glass of water and the boys each helped Alexis sit up. "Sorry, sis," he apologized.

"It's okay, bro," she replied. Alexis quickly swallowed the Tylenol, drinking half of the glass. It helped to get rid of the nasty taste in her mouth, at least.

"I think we'll stay put for the rest of the day, guys," Jaden said.

"Yeah," Chazz added. "If that's okay..."

"Hey, there's plenty of stuff to do around the house," replied Atticus, smiling.

"Thanks, guys," stated Alexis. The Rhodes kids and Jaden stayed at home the rest of the day. Meanwhile, up in Seattle, it was a new day and Annie was trying to see what Sy might like to do.

_So Jaden got his driver's license…and no one died! Yes, he can drive safely and know what he's doing on the road, though perhaps Alexis should take motion sickness medicine until Jaden's really good behind the wheel. Next time...We return to Seattle and Annie and Sy's adventures. So stay tuned for "Boat and Market Trips." And, as always, please read and review! Thank you very much!_


	67. Boat and Market Trips

Chapter LXVII: Boat and Market Trips

_Well, we gather you're all surprised that Jaden Kiyo Yuki actually got his license to drive without turning it into a license to kill. However, as you all noticed, Alexis didn't do so well. It was just motion sickness, everyone. No need to consult a book. Anyway, thank you again for all of your reviews. We love hearing from you! So on with the story!_

_As the last chapter closed, we returned to Seattle to see what Sy and Annie were up to. So what happens up in the Emerald City? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: In addition to what we do and don't own, we don't own the Pike Place Market or the Pike Place Fish Market or anything in the market. Peach just happens to like going there. If you're ever in Seattle, it's a beautiful place to shop.**_

"Sy," Annie asked as she and Syrus sat in the kitchen having some fruit, "what would you like to do today? Go to Pike Place? The mall? Uh...we could do what you'd like to do..." She took a look out the window. "The weather forecaster said it'd be nice, for the most part, but we might have some showers today...It happens," she smiled. "Our weather can be kind of unpredictable."

"Hmm…could we go out on the lake? I mean, if you want to..."

Annie's face brightened. "We could do that, too! Sy, you're a genius! We could use the row boat if you want..."

"I've never been on a boat like that before. Only the motorized kind they use to ferry us to the island and mainland," he replied eagerly.

"Well," she said, "It's a little slower and we can just sit and drift...and we won't have to go too far out...it'll be nice..." The sky was blue with some clouds, so it would be nice for them to go out.

"Okay. Uh, do you have life vests?" he asked worriedly as they stood.

"Yeah, we do," Annie said. "It's the law. We have to have them."

"Oh. Well, uh, lead the way, Annie..." Syrus didn't even know where one would keep a boat...

Annie went and told her parents what she and Sy were doing. "Honey, are you sure? Can you two handle the boat? What if..?"

"Mom, I have my cell phone if something happens and we'll have our life jackets on, okay?"

"Okay, sweetheart, just have fun... You, too, Syrus," Kathy said kindly. "I'll be here in the house when you come back, all right?"

"Okay, Mom..." Syrus was now a little worried as they headed outside. Kathy had made a good point. Annie somehow sensed his worry. "Syrus, it'll be okay," she said. "We're relaxed and we won't go too far out...And when we come back, maybe we could go somewhere too." She kissed him on the cheek. "We'll be all right."

"Okay, Annie. If you're sure," he replied, kissing her back.

Annie took her boyfriend to what looked like a carport, but it was over water. Inside the covered area was a small rowboat, large enough for two people and life vests. "Hmmm," Annie murmured. "We have all kinds of sizes here...We have people over sometimes, and Daddy says we should be prepared for all our guests." She held out a bright red life vest in Syrus's size. "Is...this okay?"

"As long as it helps me float, then yeah," Syrus joked, smiling.

Annie handed the vest to Sy and pulled on her own life vest, one in bright blue. "Okay, then...I think I'll row us out a little to show you how it's done and then you can take over when we're out a little bit..." They climbed into the boat, Annie taking position at the bow/front of the boat. She took the oars and began to row. "If you want to go forward, move your arms backward. If you want to go backward, move your arms forward," she said easily as they moved out onto the water in the white and red boat, christened Hanson I.

"Uh, uh," he mumbled. It was a little confusing, and he accidentally moved his arms forward instead of backwards.

Annie smiled. "Don't worry...I did the same thing when I started...Hold onto the oars and move your arms backward, okay?"

"All right." This time, Syrus moved his arms backwards, so that they continued to move forward.

"You're doing great, Sy!" Annie praised. "Look where we are!" she said after a few minutes. They were out a ways from the shore and could barely make out Annie's house.

Sy grimaced, suddenly realizing just how deep a lake could be. He bit his bottom lip nervously and glanced into the water.

"Sy, this is really a great lake, but it's not too deep," Annie said. "It's about 214 feet at its deepest..."

Syrus' eyes widened. "B-But, Annie...that's a lot more than me..."

"Me, too...but we are wearing lifejackets," she pointed out. "I think we're nowhere its deepest point. It's maybe 60 feet deep here...Oh cool! We can see the I-90 Bridge from here!" She pointed at a bridge with arching metal supports at either end. "That's the old bridge...part of it sank once..."

"Really? Did anyone get hurt??"

"No; it was during a storm and it was closed for repairs. Some idiot left a hole in the pontoons...and down she went," Annie grinned. "I saw the footage...it was back before HD was standard and it was a little grainy, but it broke up and went down," she said, making the appropriate motions with her hands.

"Whoa...uh, what's a 'pontoon'?" he asked.

"It's a hollow thing...like what they use on the bottom of float planes," she answered, pointing at one of the planes landing a fair distance away. "I love watching those things land."

"I've never seen one before..."

"I'm surprised they don't use them much in Domino," Annie said. "Then again...you don't really have to...Some of the islands out on Puget Sound...people have to boat to get there or use the float planes. I've seen float planes all my life but never been on one."

"Well, neither have I. Maybe...we can fly in one together...someday..."

"Yeah...hey, could I tell you something absolutely nuts that I'd love to do sometime?"

"Uh, okay..."

"I'd love to come out here in the middle of a clear night and just look up at the stars..."

"That sounds nice. But...your parents probably wouldn't let us. Especially not now," he frowned.

"Maybe sometime we'll do it...or maybe...we could sneak out," Annie said with a naughty look on her face.

Syrus blinked. "But, Annie...what if something happened?"

The naughty look on Annie's face disappeared. "Who am I kidding? Neither of us would do it...I mean, sneaking into Dr. Crowler's room was one thing, but this...you're right..." She sighed. "That would be a bad idea..."

He silently scolded himself for crushing her hopes like that, but it was way too risky. "Annie, I'm sorry. I just...don't want to lose you..."

Impulsively, Annie hugged him tightly. 'How can I be so stupid?' she thought. 'And how can I be so selfish?' Syrus wrapped his own arms around her, wishing that things were different. He once again wondered how so many bad things could happen to them in such a short amount of time. "I'm sorry, Sy," she whispered.

"Annie, you don't have anything to be sorry about," he replied just as quietly.

"How could I be so selfish?"

"You just...forgot, Annie. I mean, we're too young to have to deal with this sort of thing. We should be sneaking out of the house late at night and having fun. But..."

"Yeah...and all I did was scare you." And then, they heard a splash...two splashes to be precise. "Sy...we didn't secure the oars, did we?"

He blinked in surprise. A simple glance over the side of the boat was all it took to confirm the fact. "Uh...what do we do now?"

"Uh...." Annie's face was crimson. "Scream for help!" They did. And fortunately, a passing motor boat tied a rope to the little boat and towed them to safety. Annie thanked their rescuers, a bunch of college students, and blushed at Sy as they left. "Oh, that was interesting."

"Yeah...uh, won't your parents be mad that we lost the oars?" he asked nervously.

Annie, still blushing, answered, "Well, uh...I've lost them before, and so have Bobby, and Daddy, and Mom..."

Syrus blinked. "Oh...you guys must spend a lot of money on new oars."

"It's not too bad...It happens once in a while, so it's no big deal..." They secured the small boat and hung up their life vests and headed inside.

"It happened again, didn't it?" Kathy asked with a grin, sitting at a table in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Yes, Mom...it did," Annie blushed.

Syrus blushed as well, then his stomach growled. This only intensified the redness on his face. "Uh, excuse me..."

Kathy looked at the clock. "Oh, I'll bet you two must be hungry...Why don't I make you lunch?" she asked.

Annie's stomach rumbled loudly. "Oops...pardon me...yeah, Mom. That sounds good..."

"Okay, what would you two like?"

Annie looked at Sy. "Your call, Sy..."

"Uh, well, I don't really mind what. Maybe you could, er, surprise us?" he offered, sweat-dropping.

"Oh, sure...do you like ramen?" Kathy asked.

"Mom?" Annie asked, surprised.

"What's that??" Sy asked.

"Ramen is noodles, Sy...they're the noodles in those instant lunch noodle things," Annie explained.

"Noodles? Well, uh, I guess I could try them. They sound good..."

"Mom doctors them up in a stir fry!" Annie said happily. "Just don't put spinach in, Mom. Sy hates it..."

"All right, no spinach...Any other veggies I should know about? Do you like carrots, Syrus? If they're cut up and cooked?" Kathy asked easily.

"Yeah, I like carrots. The only thing I can't really stand is spinach," he replied, grimacing.

"Okay...do you like chicken or beef, honey?" Kathy asked.

Syrus figured chicken would probably taste better with noodles, like chicken noodle soup. "Uh, chicken, please..."

"Okay, then, chicken ramen noodles it is!" Kathy moved over to a cupboard and pulled out three orange plastic packages. "It'll take a few minutes...Annie, get out the colander, will you, sweetie?"

"Sure, Mom," Annie answered, getting up and heading to another cupboard and getting a colander out of it. "We have to drain the noodles and then fry them," she explained.

Syrus nodded, but then blinked when he saw the noodles. "Are they...supposed to look like that?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah," Annie said as her mother opened the packages to reveal blocks of noodles. There were also foil packages with the noodles. "Sy, could you get a bowl out of the cupboard over there?" she asked.

"Oh, uh, sure..." He stood and went to the cupboard, pulling out a large, plastic bowl. Kathy, by this time, had gotten the water boiling and dropped in the noodles. She walked to the huge refrigerator and got some cut up chicken breast and a container of cut up vegetables. She got a wok from a hanging rack and placed some oil in the pan. The oil heated and Kathy dropped the chicken in, seasoning it with a little soy sauce. She added the vegetables when the chicken was cooked and then had the kids dump the contents of the foil packages into the bowl.

"Okay, get a wire whisk, Annie."

"Got it, Mom!" Before she completely drained the noodles, Kathy put some of the noodle water into the bowl. "We need to whisk this now, Sy," Annie said. She whisked the mix of water and the powder. "This is the flavoring that goes in the ramen noodles," the teen girl added, "but when we do it this way, it's stronger." Kathy added the noodles to the hot pan with the chicken and noodles and took the water mix and dumped it in. Within three more minutes, Kathy served the kids lunch. "All right...Thanks, Mom! You want to sit with us?" Annie asked.

"Oh, no...you two just sit and chat," Kathy smiled. "I'll leave you two alone."

Syrus blushed a little, quickly taking a bite out of the stir-fry. His eyes widened. "Wow...this is great!"

"Yeah, this is one of my favorites," Annie confessed. "I know how to make it, too. I did that once for me and the Obelisk girls...I like to cook."

"That's cool. Did you ever help Dorothy?"

"Yeah..." Annie blushed. "I asked her how to show me how to make those filled rice balls and the pastries. She's a master!"

"I know Jaden spent most of the money his parents sent him on those," Syrus replied, laughing a little.

"Yeah...I'll admit I spent money on treats, too...particularly during test days," she added, blushing even more deeply.

"Well, uh, I remember hearing Bastion say that we all had our ways of dealing with tests. At first, I prayed to Slifer...but then I just studied, studied, studied. Of course, Jaden never studied...and Tyson only did a little."

"Well, I pray to God and study...You know the saying, 'God helps those who help themselves,' right?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Heh…uh, do the girls have any test habits? Of course Bastion studies...and I'm pretty sure Chazz does as well."

"Yeah...Violet studies and whacks her head against the wall when she gets stuck...until one of us unsticks her. Alexis...she studies in the bathtub sometimes. I do that, too. Rosa studies while listening to Spanish guitar..."

Syrus blushed lightly, remembering how Annie looked when she was...he needed to change the subject. "Uh, well, hasn't Violet gotten a concussion yet?" he asked, sweat-dropping.

"Miraculously, no...remember when Jaden told us that he knocked himself out, trying it?"

Syrus choked on his food a little, stifling a laugh. "Yeah. And I always thought his head would be strong enough for that. I mean, at least I never thought Violet had a stronger one..."

Annie giggled. "Yeah, Jaden has a hard head...but Violet's must be cushioned better...So, would you like to go to Pike Place Market?"

"Sure. It sounds interesting. Do you shop there?"

"Not often," Annie admitted. "It's fun to go there occasionally, though. And tourists love it! You'll have to see the fish market where they throw the fish!"

He blinked. "They throw...fish?"

"Yeah, it's cool! The place is called Pike Place Fish Market. You give your order and then they say who it's for and a guy tosses it into a paper and wraps it up and hands it to you! It's really cool!"

By now Syrus had finished his bowl, and was smiling eagerly. "Really? That sounds...cool!"

"And then there are the vegetable markets and the flower stalls...and the doughnut place!" Annie smiled, remembering some fun past Saturdays.

"They have doughnuts there?"

"Yeah, there's a little doughnut shop there...it's been there for years!"

"So, uh, how far is the market?"

"It's just over the lake and down near Elliot Bay. It's close to where the old Viaduct was. You can see the bay from the windows on the inner part of the Market."

"So I'm guessing that your mom's going have to take us, huh?"

"Yeah, but Daddy might want to..." And just at that moment, the front door opened and closed.

"Honey, kids, I'm home!" called Alex. He slipped off his shoes and walked into the kitchen, smiling. "Syrus, Annie, are you two having fun?" he asked.

"Yeah, Daddy!" Annie said happily. "We went out rowing together...and I lost the oars...Uh...can we go to Pike Place today?"

"Ah, so then you want to show him the flying fish?" Alex joked, grinning. Syrus sweat-dropped.

"Yeah, Daddy! And the bronze pigs, and the doughnut shop, and the original Starbucks...and..." Annie went on for a while.

"How do you remember that stuff?" Kathy marveled.

Alex laughed and ruffled his daughter's hair. "I often wonder the same thing, honey. But I suppose the talent does come in handy."

Annie blushed. "So, can we?"

"Honey, you need your wheelchair. Remember what Kisara said," Kathy cautioned.

"Yeah, I know," Annie groaned softly. It rankled Annie that she had to be in the chair, but she knew it had to be. That didn't stop her from pouting, however.

Syrus grinned sheepishly and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Maybe we won't even end up needing it, Annie. It's just in case," he reminded her.

"Yeah...it depends on where we have to park, though," Annie groaned, knowing that Pike Place Market in the summer was very busy.

"Don't worry, kids. I'll find us a close spot," replied Alex. He had a slightly maniacal grin on his face, which Syrus thought looked much like the one Annie or Violet sometimes had.

And so, the four piled in to the family's Land Rover about half an hour later. "Is Bobby working on another project, Daddy?" Annie asked.

"Actually, I think I remember hearing him mention something about cramming for a test. He was also finishing up an essay that was due soon, though I'm not sure if he turned it in or not already," explained Alex as they drove.

"I forgot he was in summer school...he's trying to graduate faster," Annie explained aside to Syrus.

"Usually we have to worry about Annie being our workaholic school kid," Kathy smiled looking from her place in the front seat to the kids in the back. "But Bobby has found his calling in what he's been studying."

"What's he studying?" asked Syrus curiously.

"Business and graphic design," Annie said. "He wants to be truly qualified when he joins HanCo, and he has some ideas for computer graphics."

"Annie, were you going to join HanCo, too?"

"Nope...I may be good with computers, but if possible I'd like to be a doctor...if not...well..." Annie blushed deep at what she was about to tell her boyfriend. Her parents knew all too well what her wish was.

"If not a doctor, then what, Annie?" Sy asked, taking her hand.

"A mom..."

Syrus blinked for a moment, a little confused, then blushed crimson. "O-Oh," he mumbled, biting his bottom lip. Sure, Syrus had thought out the proposal by now, and maybe some of the wedding and honeymoon stuff. But kids...he hadn't thought of children.

"I mean...I love kids," Annie said shyly. "Ideally, I'd be like your mom and be both...but if I can't be a doctor, I wouldn't mind being like my mom and staying home with my kids..."

"Annie is old-fashioned in some ways," Kathy said good-naturedly.

"I think that's great, Annie," Sy replied, smiling. Then, they turned into the market's parking lot.

"All right, we're here. Now then, let's see if I can't find you kids a close spot," stated Alex, grinning. The parking garage at Pike Place Market had fortunately been expanded recently. Had it not been, there would have been no way that the Land Rover would've fit into the lot.

"The old lot was so tiny," Annie said, watching for a large enough spot. "There was no way this car would've fit..."

"Yeah...years ago, before Annie was born, we had another Land Rover and Alex, Bobby and I went to the Market and tried to park in the old lot. We got stuck," Kathy said, blushing.

Alex laughed. "I remember that. Quite a mess; we had to call a towing company and everything. A-ha! Found one!!" He quickly pulled into a spot, about five cars down from the front of the market.

"Is this close enough, you think?" asked Syrus.

Annie nodded. "Yeah. It's a bit of a walk, but I think we're okay. Sy, you are gonna love this! Mom, can we get some salmon for dinner? From the Fish Market?"

"Sy, do you like salmon?" Kathy asked.

"Actually, I've never eaten salmon before...is it like tuna?" he asked, grinning sheepishly.

"Kind of, but I think it's tastier," Annie said. "It's also a bit more pricy than tuna. It's pink when it's cooked. And it's really good when it's cooked with herb butter!"

"Sy, do you like asparagus?" Kathy asked again.

"Oh, yum, Mom!" Annie said excitedly as they got out of the car.

Syrus thought for a moment. "Uh, the last time I ate it was a while ago. But...I think it tasted fine to me."

"We'll get it here at the market! It's even better farm fresh!" Annie said happily. The young couple walked just a little ahead of the adults, talking.

"Alex...I hope she's okay...think we're close enough if something happens for you or me to go back to get the wheelchair?" Kathy asked softly.

"I'm sure we are, honey. Besides, she hasn't shown any problems so far, has she?" he replied, placing his arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

"No...I just wish..." Kathy trailed off sadly and then brightened. "We'll just let them be..." she said, taking her husband's hand.

Meanwhile, Annie led Sy up into the sunlight. They found themselves on an old-fashioned cobblestone street. "This market's been here for over a hundred years, Sy," Annie told him. On the left side of the street was a modern building and several shops, including a Starbucks coffee shop. "That's the first Starbucks ever, Sy!" And on their right was a huge indoor/outdoor complex with many booths and rising over the roof was a red neon sign that read "Pike Place Market." They saw several artisans' stalls that sold watercolor prints of the state, and also handmade toys.

"Oh, Sy, look! A UFO-roid!" Annie said. She bought it for him. "Here you are!" It was made from Spandex-like materials and looked a little different than the real one, but it was awfully cute. "And we haven't even seen the whole market yet!"

Syrus' eyes were wide, and he smiled when Annie handed him the UFO-roid. "Thanks, Annie! This place is so cool..."

"Yeah, and you've only seen the start!" Annie grinned, taking him by the hand. They passed the group of open-air stalls and got under cover. The crowd got thicker. And then, they were next to stalls with the cover over them and the street as a backdrop. These stalls had some beautiful flower bouquets. "Oh, wow," Annie breathed, looking at one with pink peonies, snapdragons and sterling silver roses. Sterling silver roses look almost lavender and Annie really liked them. "They have such incredible bouquets here," she said, absorbed in their beauty.

Syrus noticed the look on her face, and walked over to the stall owner. While Annie was busy staring at the flowers, he asked the owner a few questions. About a minute later, Syrus walked back over to her. "Uh, Annie, here. These are for you," he mumbled, holding out three sterling silver roses tied together with a purple ribbon.

Annie turned, and her eyes went wide. "Oh, Sy! They're wonderful! Thank you!" She kissed him full on the lips, but quickly. "Oh, you are the best!" She might've kissed him longer, but didn't want him to get really nervous in a huge crowd. "I love you so much..."

Syrus blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "I just wanted to repay you for buying me the UFO-roid. And...I wanted to get you something nice." He smiled. "And I love you, too, Annie..."

"Just remember...you don't have to repay me for something I wanted to do for you," she said sweetly. They walked on, Annie's parents trailing a distance behind. They came to a huge part of the market where people sold t-shirts, sweatshirts, princess hats, purses and other clothing. At the back of this room were a bunch of windows. "Sy, look! Elliot Bay!" she said, pointing out to a body of water. In the distance, they could see some islands, the land surrounding them and the ever-present Olympic Mountains. "I never get tired of looking at that..." Annie said.

"Wow...it's beautiful, Annie!" he replied, amazed.

She took his hand and they gazed out together. Annie shook herself out of the reverie and said, "Shall we see more, Sy?" He agreed and they headed to the different vegetable stands where Kathy picked out some asparagus, mushrooms, baby bok choy and fresh carrots. Then they walked a distance more and smelled the scent of fresh fish. "Man...Pharaoh would start going nuts right now, wouldn't he?" Annie commented.

"Yeah, probably. Is this where they throw them?" he asked as they entered.

They passed a couple of fish stores. "We're almost there..."

"THIS FISH IS FOR JIM!"

"JIM!" men yelled.

Above Sy and Annie now hung a sign that said, "Look out for flying fish!" "Now we're here!" Annie said excitedly. Syrus's jaw dropped as he watched a large fish of some kind get thrown, flying over a few heads on the way to the next worker. The Pike Place Fish Market was a huge stall with several ice packed fish, shellfish and crabs at the front. There were huge metal counters and a large glass refrigerated display case that showed fillets and shelled seafood. Inside the stall, one could see what sort of looked like a modern kitchen with sinks, knives, and butcher paper to wrap up the sliced up fish.

A crowd of people was gathered there, as always, and people made their orders. "Annie, do you want to make the order, sweetie?" Kathy asked her daughter.

"Sy and I should...this'll be fun, Syrus," Annie said, pulling him a little.

"All right, young lady, are you and your...boyfriend placing an order?" a friendly looking man wearing a white apron over his clothes asked.

"Yeah! We'd like some salmon, please. A fillet, please, enough for seven people."

"Okay, and would you like the traditional throw before we make the cut?"

"Yes, please! My name is Annie and this is Syrus."

"Okay!" He selected a whole salmon from a stack. "THIS FISH IS FOR ANNIE AND SYRUS!"

"ANNIE AND SYRUS!" the other workers yelled. The fish flew and a worker caught it. The people clapped.

Syrus blushed a little at what the worker had said, but clapped with the others when the fish was thrown. "Annie, this IS fun."

"Yeah..." Annie's dad paid for the fish, tipping the workers and then it was on to other parts of the market. They came to the doughnut stall and got the cake doughnuts coated in cinnamon and sugar. "Oh, these are so good!" Annie said as she bit into one. She was feeling so good right now, and so relaxed. "What do you think, Sy?"

Syrus took a bite, and instantly grinned. "Yeah! They're really sweet. Jaden would probably be able to eat two dozen of these..."

Kathy overheard this. "Jaden can eat that much?"

"Yeah, Mom...he and Violet go nuts eating! It's insane! And he would so go through these!" Annie grinned. And they kept on walking for a bit, then decided to head back to the car. "This is a long walk," Annie said as they turned around.

"You can lean on me, Annie, if you need to," offered Syrus warily.

"Thanks, Sy," Annie said softly. They were halfway back when Annie really started feeling fatigued. "Oh, darn," she groaned. Sy had to help her to a bench.

"We'll go get the wheelchair. You two just sit tight," stated Alex. Syrus sat down beside Annie as the two parents walked off.

Annie sat and took several deep breaths. "Sy...I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Don't worry about it, Annie. Just relax. We had fun, didn't we?"

"Yeah," she said. "I just wish we didn't have to end it when something happens to me."

She smiled, but there was sadness there, too.

"It's okay. We were going to leave soon anyway, weren't we?" Syrus was trying his best to comfort her and not let her feel guilty.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Tomorrow we should come back to Seattle, though...We could go to the aquarium..."

"No, the aquarium's down below on the waterfront. There's also an educational movie theater, but it's actually kind of fun," she answered.

"That sounds great, Annie! I'd love to go there with you tomorrow." Then, they saw Alex and Kathy returning with the wheelchair.

"Here we are, you two!" Kathy called out as she and Alex got close.

"Thanks, Mom, thanks, Dad..." Annie said. Sy helped her to her feet and they got her into the wheelchair. Annie took Sy's hand as they rode back.

_So Annie and Sy, despite her tiredness, had a good day at the market and on the boat. They didn't have to go to the Children's Hospital in Seattle, so that's okay. Next time, we rejoin Bastion and Violet in Ohio in "A Day at the Zoo!" So until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	68. A Day at the Zoo

Chapter LXVIII: A Day at the Zoo

_Hello, again, fans of _Summer Love, Summer Fears!_ We are so glad you have returned and are staying with us through the completion of this admittedly long tale. We look forward to hearing from you every day and reading your reviews! So we thank you again for sending your thoughts and reviews. They mean a lot!_

_To recap, Annie and Sy went out on Lake Washington on a row boat, had to be rescued and then went to the Pike Place Market with Annie's parents. And now, what will happen to our couple in Ohio? Read on and see!_

_**Disclaimer: In addition to what we do and do not own, we do not own any landmarks in Ohio.**_

Back in Cleveland, Bastion miraculously survived dinner, bedtime and sleeping in Violet's bright pink room and was now facing the day in a new city. "So, what's on the agenda today, everyone?" he asked cheerfully after breakfast.

"Well, we thought we'd go into Cleveland today, if that sounds good to you, Bastion and Violet," Alan answered.

Violet grinned excitedly. "Yeah! We can go to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame!!" she cheered, pumping a fist into the air.

"Well, if you're going to do all that, you should probably have lunch there," replied Barbara, smiling.

"I'm game, then! I love zoos...and...I have always wanted to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," Bastion grinned.

"Well, then," Alan said, "We'll drop you kids off and you can call us on your cell phone when you're ready for us to pick you up, all right? Does that sound okay?"

"Yeah! Thanks, Dad!!" replied Violet.

"You know, Alan, you should probably get to work. You did have that job to do today" began Barbara.

"Don't worry, Mom! Dad's letting me take over until he gets there. You need to stay home and watch Haylee, because you know she'll throw a fit if she goes and can't go into the zoo with them," explained Bobby after chugging his glass of orange juice.

"Yeah, and these two would probably like some time alone, right?" Alan asked, smiling.

Bastion blushed a little. "That...would be nice...actually..."

Violet blushed as well. "Da-ad! Geez," she whined as Bobby laughed. Violet smacked him upside the head on her way to her room to grab some things.

"Ow," he mumbled, wincing.

Bastion got himself ready, putting on a pair of khaki shorts with a belt and a green polo top. He also put on socks and a pair of sneakers. 'There we are...' he thought, looking at himself. He thought it should be cool enough, as the Cleveland weather was proving to be a little muggy. "Violet," he called to her, "is this quite all right?"

Violet walked into the bathroom, where Bastion had been changing since she was using her room. She blushed. "Oh, uh, yeah. You look great! What about me?" Violet was wearing a white T-shirt with a green cloverleaf on the front and the words "Better Luck Next Time". She also wore swamp green cargo capris and brown flip-flops.

Bastion looked at her and smiled. "Darling, you look wonderful...as far as I'm concerned, you would look lovely in anything...including my Great-Aunt Mattie's paisley muumuu..." His Great-Aunt Mattie's paisley muumuu was a family running joke. It was a truly horrifying piece of clothing which, legend had it, was the cause of Prince Charles going blind for one day.

Violet blinked. "Okay. One, who's 'Great-Aunt Mattie'? And two, what in the name of sugar is a 'muumuu'?? Do cows wear it or something?" she asked as they went to the living room.

"Great-Aunt Mattie is Gran's sister. She is a fairly large woman and she doesn't care to wear pants. A muumuu is a sort of tent-like dress and it's very loose...Oddly enough," Bastion concluded dryly, "Great Aunt Mattie is about the size of a cow..."

She blinked a few times, then couldn't help but laugh. "I'd love to meet her sometime! Sounds like Papap," Violet replied, grinning as she grabbed her purse.

"You two have fun now! Remember to call us when you're ready to come home!!" called Barbara from the kitchen.

"All right, then, Barbara," Bastion called back as they headed out to the car.

Alan was waiting for them. "Ready to have fun?"

"Yes, Alan, we are!" Bastion said happily.

"Now, let's just remember that when we go to the zoo, we are not to tease the animals, remember, Violet?" Alan said, glancing pointedly at his daughter.

Violet sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "I know, I know. You really think I'd forget that after what happened last time??" she replied.

"I hope so," Alan said, sweat-dropping, too.

"Er...what happened?" Bastion asked, suddenly a bit nervous.

Violet sighed. "Long story short. I dangled a fish stick over the side of the penguin pool. The penguin got mad. Said penguin found a higher ledge and jumped, nearly biting my finger off along with the fish stick."

Bastion looked from Violet to Alan in alarm. "Are you bloody kidding me?"

"Unfortunately, no...could've been worse, though..." Bastion, wisely, said nothing more, though he resolved not to lose sight of his fiancée near the penguin habitat.

"So...Violet, what's your favorite animal?" Bastion asked as they drove.

"Cheetahs! They're so fast...and cats, too!! I love going up to the cheetah exhibit and racing them," she explained happily.

"Er...how do you race the cheetahs?" Bastion asked, suddenly having a weird mental picture, then remembering that the Metroparks Zoo probably didn't allow people to go into the cages and ride the creatures while wielding pieces of sirloin.

Violet blinked. "When they start running in the enclosure, I race them along the fence," she explained simply.

"Oh," Bastion said, feeling like a total idiot. "I think I'd like to try that as well..." They had arrived and the kids got out of the car.

"Have fun, you two!" Alan waved good-bye and headed to his job.

"So where shall we go first?" Bastion asked.

"Bye, Dad!" called Violet as her father drove off. She then turned to the large map posted on a sign. "Hm…well, there are different areas. The 'African Savanna', 'Australian Adventure', 'Northern Trek', 'Primate, Cats, and Aquatics Building', 'The Rainforest', and 'Waterfowl Lake'."

"Hmmm...is Australian Adventure any good?" Bastion asked.

"Are there koalas?"

"They have a bunch of animals from Australia, of course. Koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and some tropical birds! There are also emus, and on the way we can stop and see the elephants and lions."

"All right, then, darling, lead on!"

"Hooray!" she cheered. They walked about a yard, and came upon two enclosures. To their left were elephants and to their right were lions. Violet grinned. "Elephants are so lucky! They can take dirt baths and not get into trouble!!"

"They're also extremely intelligent," Bastion commented. "Are these African elephants or Asian elephants?"

Violet craned her neck this way and that to see the size of their ears. "Oh! They're African ele—" she began. However, a loud trumpet came from one, and a pile of dirt smacked into the couple.

Bastion stood for a moment, covered in dirt. "That was...interesting...How is it that this happens to us, my dear?" he asked his fiancée, now trying to brush her off.

She simply shook herself, much like a dog, and dirtied Bastion even more. "I don't know, Bastion-baby. But...you're really dirty," she pointed out.

Bastion looked down at himself...and started cracking up. "How...never mind..." He brushed himself off as best he could. "Ah, well, where to now?"

"Emus and wallabies! Come on!!" Violet half-dragged Bastion a few more yards up a hill until they came upon two more enclosures. Now, to their left were wallabies and to their right were emus. She immediately went to the emu enclosure and tilted her head. "Hey, Bastion? You ever notice how emus and ostriches look alike??"

Bastion looked at the huge birds. "Yes, they do look alike, don't they? I wouldn't want to get on the bad sides of either bird. They are rather strong...they're also rather nice to look at..."

Violet blinked when one stood and walked over, being at least a head and a half taller than Bastion. It stretched its neck down so that it and the teens were face-to-face, then screeched suddenly. Violet squealed and fell back on her rear in surprise.

"BLOODY—!" Bastion shouted also falling on his butt. "That..! Oh, my!" He looked over to Violet. "Darling, let me help you...I'd forgotten how unpredictable birds can be...I was at the Jurong Bird Sanctuary in Singapore once...A pelican hopped the fence and came very close to me and Mum...that was when I was six."

Violet sighed. "We should probably look out now. It seems wherever we go something happens."

"And I thought strange things would stop occurring after school let out...but I suppose oddities don't take a vacation...Ah, well...let's just have fun."

"Sounds good to me! We have to go in here for the koala exhibit, and be quiet," she replied. They walked into a very dim, one-roomed building. Half of it was an indoor enclosure, with a few sleeping koalas.

"Oh, my...it's so peaceful in here," he whispered softly as they entered. "Why must we be quiet?"

"Because koalas have sensitive ears, and they're sleeping. That's why they have this indoor enclosure."

"Ah...all right, then...goodness," he whispered, pointing at one of the small, chubby sleeping creatures. "That one looks like Chumley Huffington."

Violet blinked, then grinned. "Hey, yeah. You're right," she giggled, trying to stay quiet.

"I'm sorry," Bastion whispered, also grinning. "I can't look at a koala without thinking of him...I'm pleased he's found his place at Industrial Illusions, but I wish he were still at school with us."

"Yeah...he's a great artist. Besides a pro-duelist or chef, I always wondered about doing what he does," Violet explained as they came to a large screen. It had a picture of Australia on it, and a large portion highlighted. Beneath it were the words "Previous Koala Population". Then, the highlighted portion became much smaller, and stated "Current Koala Population".

"That's quite terrible that koalas are dropping in number," Bastion commented quietly. "You'd think people would think logically about extinction..."

"Yeah, it's happening with a lot of animals. I didn't really know until I learned that cheetah populations were dropping. I hate poachers!" Violet accidentally shouted, and drew the attention of a nearby zookeeper. She blushed and quickly dragged Bastion back outside.

"You're not the only one who feels like doing that," Bastion said when they were outside. "Personally, darling, I wish I wasn't such a stick in the mud..."

Violet tilted her head, the sunshine glaring off of her hair. "Huh? What do you mean, Bastion-baby??"

"I'm a bore...but you...you're so joyous and entertaining...and I love you for that..." Bastion smiled. "I love you for being you...and tolerating how terribly boring I can be..."

She blinked, then punched his arm playfully. "Aw, Bastion-baby, you're not boring! I love your fun British talk and even you have your spontaneous moments!! Remember the fountain?"

Bastion laughed at the memory, then sobered. "Yes, I remember...and then we ended up in the hospital..."

Violet frowned, wrapping an arm around his. "Bastion-baby....it would have happened sooner or later. At least...we got it over with. And maybe, it could have gotten worse if we didn't."

"True, darling...true..." he said. "So, what shall we do now?"

"Wanna feed some lorikeets?" she asked, grinning. They were standing in front of the entrance to an aviary, and to the side you could buy nectar to feed the birds.

"Lorikeets?" Bastion asked, looking up in the aviary. And then he saw the brightly birds that looked for all the world like giant parakeets. "Of course! I'd love to!"

"Great!" So, they each bought a small cup of nectar and entered the aviary. Multi-colored birds were perched on various branches, and two were sharing a bird bath.

"You'll have to show me what to do, darling," Bastion said. "I've never fed birds like this before, so how do we do it?"

However, Violet already had a bird on each of her arms and one on her head. "Uh...this is new. But, just reach out with the nectar like this." She held the small cup out to one of the lorikeets, which had perched on Bastion's shoulder without him knowing.

Bastion looked very surprised that a bird had perched on his shoulder. "Oh, my..." He too, held his cup of nectar to the birds on Violet's shoulder. "Here you go, birds. Tuck in, then..." His arm crossed with Violet's in a similar manner to how people getting married drink their champagne.

The birds drank their fill, emptying the small cups. They then walked along the outstretched arms to meet each other, rubbing beaks like two lovers would. Violet smiled. "What a coincidence."

"That is so...amazing," Bastion said, unable to again conceal a blush.

Violet got an idea, and carefully reached into her purse. She did some digging, then pulled out a camera. "Uh, excuse me, can you take a picture for us?" she asked a nearby zookeeper.

"Why sure. You two look so cute," she replied, taking the camera. "Say nectar!"

"Nectar!" Bastion said easily. The zookeeper snapped the photo on Violet's camera, and then...the birds flew away.

"You two sure were lucky they stayed long enough. Here you go."

Violet thanked the woman and took back the camera, skipping out of the aviary with Bastion in tow. "How cool was that?! I can't wait to get the film developed!"

"Yeah...that'll be quite a picture..." And then Bastion did something rather impulsive. He grabbed Violet around the waist and kissed her full on the lips. Something of what had happened had left him feeling giddy.

Violet's eyes widened in surprise and she blushed, but returned the kiss soon after. They got a few looks, especially from little kids, but didn't notice until they finally broke away. She was left a little breathless by it, still held in his embrace. "Wow..."

Bastion, too, blushed. "Darling...you just looked so beautiful in there...I would've kissed you in the aviary but you moved too quickly, darling."

"Really? Sorry, I'm always rushing," she replied, grinning sheepishly. Violet then spotted something, and grinned mischievously. "Oh, Bastion," she sang.

"Uh, what is it, Violet?" he asked, moving with her.

"Ever been on a...train?" Violet asked, emanating innocence as they walked.

"Yes...why?" he asked, getting suspicious.

"Violet...what are you planning?" he asked.

"Nothing...just this," she replied. They were standing in front of a miniature train, filled with people of varying ages. A sign above them stated "Kookaburra Station", and on the side of the train was painted "Boomerang Line".

"Boomerang Line?" Bastion read. "Violet, what are we doing?"

"It's a train ride throughout the area! We can see kangaroos, more wallabies, storks, cranes," she explained eagerly.

"Uh...all right, then," Bastion said. "This is...much smaller than the London Underground, isn't it?"

"What's that?" Violet asked as they climbed on, just able to get the last spot in the caboose.

"That's the train... pardon me, the subway...that people use to get 'round London...it's very convenient," he said as the train began to move.

Violet cheered as they passed the wallabies, this time not separated by a fence. Some stood up on their back legs to watch as the train passed, a few signs posted up here and there, such as "Wallaby X-ing" and "Beware of Dingoes." Bastion surreptitiously put his arm around Violet and just enjoyed the ride. "This is...fun," he said, laughing.

"I knew you'd like it, Bastion-baby." She rested her head against his chest comfortably as they passed a stork standing in a pond, which squawked and flapped its clipped wings. Violet yelped when they passed a group of kangaroos, one of which licked her hand.

Bastion grinned. "I love kangaroos! Ever wanted to ride in their pouches?" he asked.

"Yeah! I always imagined what it would be like as a kid to sit in them, bouncing up and down as they hopped."

"It's logically impossible, but oh, that would be fun," he said. Finally the ride came to an end and Bastion realized how warm it was. "Violet, darling, shall we go get a drink? I'll bet you're rather thirsty..."

"Sure! I know a place nearby." Violet replied. She led him down a hill, where a camel pen and petting zoo sat. Next to it was a refreshment stand. "Oh! We should ride the camels, if you want. It's actually really fun," she exclaimed as they got their drinks.

"Ride the camels? Don't they..." And a camel came up and... "Spit," Bastion finished, trying to maintain dignity now with camel spit on his face. Violet was forced to spit out her sip of lemonade, unable to stop herself from laughing. However, she was still able to hand Bastion a napkin from the refreshment stand.

"Thank you, Violet. That should not have been unexpected," Bastion said, miraculously maintaining his dignity. "Rather entertaining, though." He sipped his cup of lemonade. "Well, shall we ride them, then?"

"Yeah. Just make sure they don't spit on you again!" she giggled. They were lucky enough to get a two-humped camel, so they could both ride it.

The camel got up and was surprisingly gentle. "This is...incredible! I feel like Alec Guinness," Bastion said.

"Alec who?" Violet asked as they bumped and shifted as the camel loped along.

"The guy who played Obi-wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy," Bastion explained.

"Ooh. Sorry, never seen it before."

Bastion grinned. "Oh, well...we could see it at some point...especially since Chazz knows the movie by heart," he added mischievously.

They had been dismounting the camel, and Violet was so shocked that she fell on top of him. "He what?!?!"

"Remember, darling, when we discussed our...nerdish tendencies?"

"Yeah," she replied as they walked to the petting zoo.

"He admitted to knowing the movie by heart and being able to repeat the lines..."

"Yeah," she replied as they walked to the petting zoo.

"He admitted to knowing the movie by heart and being able to repeat the lines..."

Violet thought for a few moments, then blushed. "Oh yeah...I always forget the small things like that—oh! Look at the cute lamb!!"

"Oh...you know...I don't think I have been to a petting zoo since...I couldn't have been more than four years old...I forgot how cute the baby animals are," Bastion admitted. "Fancy going in?"

"Sure. I've seen this a lot, but haven't been in since I was eight." So the two went inside, and Violet crouched down to pet a baby lamb.

Bastion went and bought some feed pellets and handed some to Violet. Meanwhile, he petted the little lamb. "Oh, you are such a soft little thing, aren't you?" he said to the lamb. "You are absolutely soft!" Perhaps Bastion should've looked behind him because a goat, wanting some of the feed, butted into him...hard. He fell forward, crashing into Violet.

"You are just adora—" began Violet. However, the last few syllables were muffled by straw, which she had crashed face-first into.

Both teens came up from the straw, Bastion with several pieces in his hair and on his clothes. "Oh, bugger! Violet, darling, are you all right?" he asked, helping her up.

Violet had a few pieces of straw in her hair, and spit some out of her mouth. "Yeah...we aren't even safe in a petting zoo, huh?"

"No...hmmm...perhaps we should remember the words of Professor Moody... 'Constant vigilance,'" he half-joked.

"Good idea. Anyway...where did you want to go next?" she asked as they left the petting zoo. Luckily, there was another map. "The closest exhibit is the 'Primate, Cats, and Aquatics Building'."

"All right, then...We only have to worry that the monkeys will become angry and throw their leavings, the cats will escape from their enclosures and eat us or use us as scratching posts or...what's in the Aquatics section, darling?"

Violet thought for a moment as they walked, the building being at the top of a large hill. "Mostly fish, from all over the world. They even have sharks, octopi, and giant fish!"

"All right, then, we only have to worry about the tanks breaking and the fish crushing us, because the sharks have gills..."

Violet sighed. "Bastion-baby, just because we have to be careful, that doesn't mean we should be paranoid! That's bad!! Especially on such a nice day," she explained, reaching up to pluck a buckeye from a tree branch.

"I was joking, love...Is that a Buckeye?" he asked.

"Oh...well, yeah! It is!! Our state, uh...whatever this thing is. Anyway, we have a buckeye tree in our yard, too." She held the small, brown, spiky ball by its stem, twirling it a little.

"Why is it called a buckeye?" the scientifically minded young man asked.

"I have no idea. Really I don't," Violet replied. By now they had made it to the building, so she tossed the buckeye over her shoulder. "They have a gift shop in here, too. Always try to get money off you, I swear..."

"Well, that's not surprising...The Domino Museum has a lovely one..." And they were inside. To the right was said gift shop, and two the left were two openings. The closest started them off in the Aquatics section, while the other started in the Primate section. Both connected, so that you went in a big circle.

"Well, Violet, which way? Shall we see the monkeys and chimps first, or the fish?" Bastion asked. "Which do you like best, darling?"

"Hm…let's see the monkeys first! They have some cute lemurs and little monkeys!!" Violet explained, so they went to the far opening. The enclosures were behind glass, and primates varying from gorillas to spider monkeys could be seen.

"Good Lord...that spider monkey...looks like..." Bastion started to laugh. He couldn't help it.

Violet blinked. "Looks like what??"

"That spider monkey looks like...JADEN!!!!" Bastion nearly collapsed laughing. Said spider monkey had Jaden's hair.

She squinted a little, then grinned. "Oh geez, it does!" Violet couldn't help but laugh, and the pair drew some attention to themselves. Deciding that she just HAD to show Jaden, she brought out the camera and took a picture of the monkey. "That's great...ha ha..."

"He'll need a laugh and we can email it to him!" Bastion grinned, getting control of himself, finally. And then, they looked at the other primates. "Is there anyone else we see in these primates, darling?"

Violet, however, had a hand over her mouth to stifle her intense laughter. "T-That bush baby—ha ha! I-It looks like—ha ha ha—Sy w-without his—ha ha—glasses!!"

Bastion looked at the little creature and smiled. "Oh, yes! It does...I wonder how Syrus is doing in Seattle..."

"I bet he and Annie are having loads of fun!" she replied, grinning. Now they had come to the cats, though half of the exhibits were empty. "It is a nice day. Some must be outside."

"Hmmm...well, we could wander outside...if you wanted..." Bastion wanted to do what Violet did, because he wanted her to be happy and relaxed.

"Sure! But let's finish up in here...look! It's a fossa!!" Violet grinned at the strange-looking cat-like mammal behind the glass, which was currently running in a giant hamster wheel.

"I've never seen one of these before," Bastion said. "It looks like a cat, but it is behaving like a rodent..."

"I know! It's weird, but really cute, too." They moved to the next one, and Violet squealed. "Aww! That snow leopard has a kitten!!"

"Oh...how lovely...they're so adorable when they're small," Bastion said, gently putting his arm around her again.

"Yeah...I love kittens..." There weren't any other cats inside, so they now moved onto the fish. It was much like a large aquarium with different settings in each tank.

"Oh, I believe we found Nemo," Bastion said, making a rather lame joke when he saw clownfish in one tank. "A rather old joke now, isn't it?"

"I guess, but it's still funny! And there's Dory." Violet pointed at school of fish that were identical to the character.

"Oh, yes! And isn't that Crash the turtle?" he asked, pointing to a large sea turtle. They had fun pointing out the various characters from "Finding Nemo," and then looked at the shark tank. "Bruce the Shark in 'Nemo' was named for Bruce the Shark in 'Jaws,' you know..."

"Really? I had no idea!" Then, a large tiger shark swam past, and she clung a little to him. 'It's in the tank, it's in the tank, it's in the tank,' she thought over and over.

"It's all right...let's just head out now, before anything happens, shall we?" Bastion asked, not wishing to tempt fate.

"Good idea..." So, the two quickly left and went around the side of the building. "Oh, look! The cheetahs!!" Violet exclaimed, eyes filling with stars.

Bastion looked at the graceful, lanky cats in amazement. "Oh, my...so could you show me how to race them, darling? I'd love to learn..."

"Okay!" Violet stood beside the fence, eyes glued to the cats. When one stood, she got into a racing stance. "GO!!!" Violet surprised the cat, and it sped off. Of course it beat her by the end of the fence, but she still enjoyed the feeling.

Bastion ran with Violet, keeping in pace with her. It felt wonderful just to run with the young woman he loved and notice how lovely she looked in her top and capris. She looked free and vibrant and he wouldn't have her any other way. When they stopped running, he just looked at her quietly.

Violet was doubled over, trying to catch her breath. Finally, she was able to straighten and smile at Bastion, a few beads of sweat on her brow. "Something wrong, Bastion-baby?" she asked.

Bastion, realizing he'd been caught, blushed. "Sorry, darling, I know it's rather rude to stare..." he said. He wiped his face. "You just looked so lovely...one of those moments I'll remember when we're surrounded by grandchildren..."

Violet blushed, making her already red face even redder. "Oh, Bastion-baby. You always know just what to say to make me blush," she replied, smiling.

"You, as well," Bastion grinned. "Those animals are amazing creatures. For a brief time, I thought I'd like to be a naturalist and study them. But...dueling and other branches of science seem to be my path..."

"That's fine. We all change job ideas as we grow up. At one time, I wanted to be an accountant!" Violet replied, laughing. They were now between a tiger exhibit and a tortoise exhibit.

"An accountant? Why?" Bastion asked curiously, picturing Violet in a boring gray skirt with her purple hair back in a no-nonsense bun and her beautiful green eyes behind stern librarian glasses. 'No,' he thought.

She shrugged. "I liked math. Plus, dad said it would be good pay. I have some...pretty outlandish dreams that would require funds," Violet explained, resting her elbows against the wooden fence.

"Oh? And what are those dreams? I want to know, Violet...we haven't exactly discussed that..." Bastion looked at her very seriously.

Violet blushed a little. "Well, for one thing, it's where I'd like to live. Either in Tokyo or Las Vegas, and both would take a lot of money. But...I've always been fascinated by the places...big city life, you know?"

"Yes...well, I've been to Tokyo...and truth to tell, I think I'd rather take Sin City," Bastion smiled. "Tokyo is rather crowded," he admitted, "and I like being in a place I can be excited and yet hear myself think..."

"Really? Well, Mom and Dad are worried that if I move to Vegas, I'll get hurt. They think it's too dangerous..." She frowned, a light wind blowing past them.

"Your mum and dad should know that Las Vegas is actually pretty safe...it's not like when the mafia virtually ran the place in the 1950s and 1960s. We could live out from the Strip..."

Violet turned to face him and smiled happily, hugging him. "What about you? You haven't exactly told me YOUR dreams...."

Bastion thought a moment. "I've kept them secret for quite some time. I want to be a great duelist, but I also want to research. I've done checking on the Theory of Unified Dueling...it's a theory that Professor Eisenstein has been working on, and I find it fascinating. I could find somewhere to research and as long as the love of my life is with me, I'm content. There is one other dream...you might find it a bit quaint and silly, though..."

"Aw, come on, tell me! I'll tell you another one of mine," she coaxed. By now they were walking back down the hill, hand-in-hand.

"Well...the classic American dream...nice house...wife and children...until you and I got serious, I wasn't sure it would come true..." he said. "I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable, Violet, love..."

Violet had stopped, staring at the ground with a frown on her face. "Bastion, I...that's a dream I always had. Until..." Her voice cracked, and tears brimmed her eyes.

"Darling...what is it? Oh..." Bastion pulled her close. "Shh...don't do this to yourself, love...he isn't worth the dirt the elephants threw at us earlier...shh..."

"Bastion, I know, it's just...I used to think he and I would..." She swallowed, trying to stop crying. "After we broke up, I thought I'd never be able to have that dream come true...until I met you..."

He just held her, wishing there was something that would automatically erase the pain the cretin named Mike had put to Violet. 'If he ever lays a hand on her again,' he thought. "It's all right," he said softly, "and it's all right to let it out...you've been through so much...Why don't we go somewhere and sit down? I'll get us another drink..."

"A-All right..." Luckily, no one had been around to witness the event, and there were some benches nearby for those who purchased snacks at the stand.

Bastion helped Violet sit down on a bench in the shade and went and got them another lemonade. "Here you go...just drink this down, darling," he soothed, putting his arm around her. "You're not alone in this...I'm here, and you're not the first person to have been battered as you were and betrayed..."

The lemonade definitely helped to soothe her burning throat, and she leaned against him. "Thanks, Bastion...I didn't mean to just go and break down like that..."

"None of that, now...you have every right to hurt...every right...we all have dreams, and when we think they're gone, it hurts...and Mike hurt you..." Bastion bit his lip so he wouldn't lose control.

Violet was too busy staring at her hands to notice Bastion's held back anger, luckily. "Uh...so, we can probably go to one more place here," she began, trying to change the subject to happier terms.

Bastion was grateful for that. "All right...do you have any recommendations?"

"Waterfowl Lake would be nice. Plus, it's close to here and the entrance." Violet wanted to see something calm and serene at the moment. Badly.

Bastion smiled. "I hope it's nice and quiet. There...aren't a lot of pelicans...are there?" He thought of the pelican that had chased him at Singapore's Jurong Bird Sanctuary and shivered slightly. But he would gladly face his childish fear for Violet.

She smiled and laughed a little as they stood. "I don't think so. Mostly flamingoes, ducks, swans..."

"Oh...jolly good, then," he smiled, sweat-dropping a little. And they walked to Waterfowl Lake. It was very peaceful.

They stood beside the fence surrounding the lake, a pleasant breeze coming off of it. "There are a lot of feathers around here...I used to try and collect them as a kid..."

Bastion saw a bright pink feather, likely from a flamingo, on the ground and picked it up. "Then...I would like to humbly add this simple feather to your collection..." He handed her the feather formally, as a knight would hand something to his lady.

Violet had a sharp intake of breath, taking the feather. "Oh, wow. Bastion-baby...I was never able to find a flamingo feather," she whispered, then hugged him happily.

"What a stroke of good luck, then," Bastion smiled, hugging back. She was shorter than he was and hugging her back in this case meant he lifted her off the ground.

Violet yelped a little in surprise as her feet left the ground, but she smiled and promptly wrapped them around his waist. "I see...you want to carry me out, then?" she joked, giggling.

"Would you like me to?" he asked seriously.

She blinked. "I guess a lift to the front entrance would be nice..."

"All right, then..." He swung her into his arms, so he was carrying her bridal-style. "Hmmm..." People were staring. "She got tired," he called.

Violet blushed a little, then grinned and stuck her tongue out at them. "They're all just jealous that they don't have such a great fiancé," she stated as they, er, HE walked.

"They may just be surprised...or they're marveling at the lovely young woman I have in my arms, and that she's taken," he countered.

Her blush reappeared. "I don't know how you always do that! Silly..." Violet got down once they were out of the zoo, and looked around to gain her bearings. "All right...I know a place nearby we can have lunch. Hungry?"

Bastion's stomach growled. "Yes, darling, I am a bit hungry...how about you?"

"I'm surprised MY stomach hasn't—" As if on cue, hers growled as well. "Speak of the Devil. Anyway, it's just down the road and around the corner," she replied as they walked. Not many were out on the streets—they never were—but there was quite some traffic on the road beside them. "Must be rush hour..."

Bastion looked at his wristwatch. "It's half-past one...is that normally rush hour?" he asked as they walked.

Violet thought for a few moments. "Hm…I'm not sure. I always thought it was later, but maybe that just applies to the freeway." They turned the corner and instantly came upon a rather deserted outdoor cafe. Only a few people sat at the outside tables.

"Oh, this looks nice...and rather quiet," Bastion observed. "What's here, darling?"

"Well, it's called Farmer's Bounty. Probably 'cause the market's close by. They serve a lot of classic dishes here using farm grown stuff," she explained. The outdoor eating area was surrounded by a fence, so they had to walk to the gate to get in.

Bastion moved and opened the gate for Violet. "There you go...Ladies first, after all...And that sounds delicious, Violet."

"Thanks, Bastion. I've only eaten here a few times, but all of the food was really good." They walked over to the counter, where there wasn't even a line. "Let's see...I'll take the tuna salad with a side order of apple slices, please."

Bastion looked at Violet. "I think I'll have what she's having," he said easily.

She blinked in surprise as the cashier readied the order. "Really? No one else has ever gotten that, not even Bobby or my parents or Haylee. They thought tuna and apples would taste gross together."

"You'd be surprised what tastes good. When Mum, Dad and I went to Tokyo, we found out that mayo on pizza was actually quite good."

Violet grimaced at the idea. "Really? Wow..." They then received their food and paid the man, finding a table beside the fence to eat at.

"Oh, bugger," Bastion said when they sat down. "Violet, love, I need to find the little scientist's room..."

Violet giggled. "You'll have to go into that store, they don't have one here." She pointed nearby.

Bastion nodded. "I'm sorry, darling...I'll be back in a moment..." he said and headed over to the other shop quickly. He would, in some ways, always regret that he'd gone when he had.

For no sooner had he headed out of eye and earshot of Violet and that she was sitting in the chair that a horrible vision from her past made an appearance. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Violet..."

_The hour has come, everyone…Violet is about to have a confrontation with a dark part of her past. Next time: "Open Wounds." Until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	69. Open Wounds

Chapter LXIX: Open Wounds

_Hello again, everyone. You're probably asking yourselves, "Why are they updating so fast?" Well, first, you all reviewed so quickly. Secondly, we don't like leaving cliffhangers for too long. Third, we don't want you, dear readers, getting upset. So thank you for your very quick reviews. We're also very touched that you are all so worried about Violet. And now we present a confrontation with Violet's ex…_

_**Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters. In addition, we don't own Tylenol. Thank you.**_

"Well, well, well…If it isn't Violet…"

Violet had just been about to open her food when the words reached her, and she froze mid-movement. Her eyes were wide in shock, and she forced herself to turn. There, standing on the other side of the fence, was none other than- "M-Mike..." It came out as a fearful, almost agonized whisper.

He towered over her as he had then, on that horrible day. He was tanned, muscular, had flame-blue eyes, and carroty red hair. On his face was a cruel smile. "So...the weirdo is back...but I must say...you've improved your looks..." He glanced up and down her form in a way that made her feel dirty.

Violet was furious that her body betrayed her with a blush, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. Her eyes narrowed into a glare, though her fear caused her voice to shake. "I-I'm not a weirdo, M-Mike! You can't hurt m-me anymore," she countered, trying to pull up courage from somewhere, anywhere.

"Yeah, you are...I'm the only thing that made you worth anything...you're a loser without me...But what's this?" He had seen the beautiful crystal Watapon on the gold chain around her slender neck. "How'd you get this?" He reached for it.

Violet bit her bottom lip, and couldn't stop her body from reacting once again. She smacked his hand away, then clutched the crystal Watapon protectively. "It's my engagement present!"

"Engagement present? You actually have a boyfriend? What loser could possibly want you? What'd you do, pick a nerd that's an alien freak?!" he snorted.

Violet could feel the anger starting to overpower her fear; no one made fun of Bastion. "He's not a loser! And h-he's not a freak either!! Besides, h-he's better than you ever were!"

"He is...and he's probably a reedy, pimply-faced little dweeb...face it, I'm the closest thing to a real man you've ever had, or will ever have..."

Her eyes were burning, and she tried to hold back tears. 'I don't know what to do! I try to counter and...and...he just won't stop...' Violet thought, clutching the necklace as her heart's old wounds were torn open.

"Violet?" The loving voice from her present came to her. "Who are you and what are you doing to her?" Bastion demanded. "Are you Mike?"

Mike turned. "Who's asking?" he growled.

"The name is Bastion Misawa, and I'm her fiancé...and you, sir, had better back off. Violet has told me enough about you...You are causing her harm right now, and if you persist, you will regret it..."

"Oh, will I?" Mike asked, turning toward Bastion and raising his hand. That was a tactical error.

Bastion caught the other teen's hand in a grip of steel. "Try it, by all means...I would have no problem taking scum like you down...I can disable you...don't test me..." Bastion's gray eyes were fire.

Mike removed his hand. "Oh, I am so scared," he said sarcastically. "You're just lucky my crew isn't here right now...we could take you..."

"I doubt it...if they're all pathetic weaklings like yourself who enjoy demeaning and beating women." Bastion was none too happy, and that is a fearsome thing to behold.

Mike somehow sensed it. "I'll be back...you're both losers," he growled and left.

"Violet, darling," Bastion said, sitting down and hugging her to him, "are you all right? I should've stayed...blast!"

Violet had listened to their conversation, and practically collapsed in his embrace from mental exhaustion. The tears she'd been holding back ran freely down her face as she continued to hold the necklace. "B-Bastion, I—he," she stuttered, voice choked by sobs.

"That coward," he growled. "Did he hurt you...of course he hurt you mentally...did he hurt you physically?" Bastion mentally cursed himself for not staying by her side every second.

She sniffed, trying to hold back enough sobs so that she could speak. "N-No...Bastion, he said t-terrible things. About me...a-and you. I...I h-hated it, but I c-couldn't do anything to s-stop him...."

"He repeated what he said before, didn't he?" Bastion asked, keeping her close to him.

Violet nodded, face buried into his chest. Her hand had stopped clutching at the necklace and now sat against her chest. "H-He did...and then s-some. It...it hurts, B-Bastion..."

He rocked her gently, grateful in some ways that it was so quiet here. "Darling...perhaps we should call your parents...maybe we should go home..."

She sighed, calmed down enough so that only the tears remained. "Y-You're probably right. I'm sorry that w-we couldn't do more together, Bastion-baby...."

"No...no...don't be sorry...it's that coward that should be sorry..." Bastion was fighting burning anger and his own urge to cry. That could wait. Violet was all that mattered at the moment. He got the cell phone and called home.

Barbara had just finished making Haylee lunch-a peanut butter and jelly sandwich-when the phone rang. She quickly picked it up after drying her hands. "Hello, Haverbrook residence. Barbara speaking."

"Hello, Barbara, it's Bastion...We need you to pick us up right away..." The teen boy couldn't keep the shaking out of his voice.

The mother instantly grew worried, recognizing the tone of his voice. "Bastion? Something happened, didn't it??" she asked worriedly.

"Yes...you could say that..." Anger came into his voice. "Mike happened. I shouldn't have left her alone..." Bastion took a deep breath. "We sat down for lunch and I had to use the restroom. And then he came and had to call her names and rough her up...She's very upset...Please, Barbara, we're at the Farmer's Bounty..."

Barbara was grateful that her daughter hadn't been physically injured like the last time, but was still angered. "I'll be there in about ten to fifteen minutes, Bastion. Just sit tight." With that, she hung up, and turned to her other daughter. "Haylee, sweetie, finish your sandwich and get your shoes on. We're going to go and pick-up Violet and Bastion."

"Mommy? What happened?" Haylee asked. "Did something happen to Sissa?"

She swore that her children could read her mind sometimes. "Yes, sweetie. Don't worry, you're sister's fine. We just need to pick her and Bastion up from the city..." Barbara explained, not wanting to worry her.

"Mommy...you said something happened," Haylee said. Like many young children, the little girl could tell when Mommy was trying to hide something.

Barbara sighed, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sweetie, Violet ran into Mike again. You remember him?"

Haylee nodded, eyes wide and fearful. "Did he give her a boo-boo again?"

"Well, not a regular kind of boo-boo, Haylee. He hurt her in another way...kind of like when Geoffrey called you a mean name in school. That type of hurt. Understand?"

Haylee nodded, face getting angry. "Why, Mommy?" She'd finished her sandwich and was moving to get her shoes.

"I'm not quite sure, sweetie. Sometimes...there are just bad people like that. All we can do is hope that your sister doesn't run into him again," Barbara explained, frowning. Something inside her told her that their hopes would be crushed. Haylee nodded silently.

Meanwhile, back at the cafe, Bastion just held Violet close. "Darling, it'll be all right, somehow...when we get back, we're calling Annie, okay? I think you might need to talk to some other friendly voices...to the people who love you most in this world..."

"Okay...Bastion-baby, I heard you blaming yourself for not being here. It's not your fault; he could have shown up at anytime..." Violet didn't want him to feel bad for leaving her alone.

"I just...darling, I should've stayed...I guess we'll take these to go, won't we?" he asked, gesturing at their lunches, uneaten.

"Yeah...we can eat them at home. Maybe I can show you the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame another day. Make a rebel of you yet," she replied, messing up his hair. It seemed some of her usual cheerfulness was returning.

"Yeah...perhaps I'll get a leather jacket and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle...you could ride with me..." His lips quirked into a smile.

An image of Bastion wearing such a thing and driving a motorcycle made Violet laugh. It was hard imagining the genius doing such a thing without it being comical. "I'd pay money to see that, Bastion-baby."

"You won't have to, darling," he answered. And then, they saw the car. "Oh, thank heaven...Come on, darling, let's get out of here..."

The couple stood and went into the car with their food, Haylee sitting up front with Barbara while they took the back. "Thanks for picking us up, Mom."

"Yes, thank you, Barbara...I'm sorry you had to come so early," Bastion apologized. "I shouldn't have left Violet's side."

"Bastion?" Haylee asked.

"Yes, Haylee?"

"Mike's a doodie head!"

Barbara couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Yes he is, Haylee. And Bastion, don't you worry about a thing. You didn't know that Mike would be around..."

"No, but..." Bastion, despite Violet's instructions to the contrary, was mentally berating himself. "I shouldn't have left her..."

Violet wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him. "Bastion-baby...please stop blaming yourself. How many times have you told me that was the wrong thing to do? Like Mom said, we weren't even sure if M-Mike would be here..."

This was a point where Bastion's logic wasn't functioning. He had old-fashioned notions of chivalry and that the woman he loved had been harmed on his watch rankled in his soul. "I know that, Violet...but..."

She placed a finger to his lips to silence him, and was somehow able to muster fire into her eyes. "No buts, Bastion-baby. I mean it. I don't want you blaming yourself...okay?" The fire didn't last long, quickly extinguished by fear and sadness once more.

Bastion took a deep breath. "I'll try my best, darling...I promise you that..."

"Thank you, Bastion..." Violet kissed him, and soon they pulled into the familiar driveway in front of her house.

"We're home, kids," stated Barbara to get their attention.

The group climbed silently out of the car to head inside. But Haylee, in a fit of odd behavior, ran and hugged her sister gently but tightly. "I love you, Sissa..."

Violet smiled a little, placing a hand on Haylee's head. "I know, sis. I love you, too..."

Bastion carried the lunches into the kitchen and set them on the table. Violet walked into the kitchen too, flanked by her mom and sister. "Ewww...tuna salad and apples!" Haylee exclaimed.

"I'm trying it, Haylee," Bastion said.

Barbara smiled. "Good luck, Bastion. No one else has ever had the guts to try it," she explained. Violet sat down and opened the containers, comforted a little by the prospect of one of her favorite lunches.

"Well...this looks delicious to me," Bastion said when Barbara and Haylee left the room. "Violet...I think I shall tell you something," he finished, smiling slightly.

Violet had already stuck a spoonful of the salad in her mouth, and blinked. "Yeah?" she asked after swallowing.

"I shall tell you exactly why you are the most wonderful woman on the planet as far as I am concerned because I believe you need to hear it. Number one, you are Violet Angeline Haverbrook." Bastion's expression was serious, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. "You are Violet Angeline Haverbrook and that means you are unique."

Violet was blushing a medium red by this time, and showing a small smile. "Oh, Bastion..."

"Two...because you are unique, that means you are special...you're a rarity and not everyone is capable or willing to understand you, and I hope I am worthy to understand...and dare I say...love you?"

She looked at him with burning eyes, tears of loving joy threatening to spill out. At first her voice wouldn't cooperate with her, but Violet finally managed to regain it. "B-Bastion...of course you are! If anyone is, it's you!!" she replied, wrapping her arms around him happily.

"Third," he concluded, "because you are who you are, you are priceless...not worthless..."

Violet was unable to stop the tears, as she hugged him tighter. "Bastion-baby, you don't know how much I love you right now..."

"Darling," Bastion whispered, tightening the hug, grateful they'd sat next to each other at the table, "I love you so much..."

"I know, Bastion. I don't think I could ever find someone else I love as much as you," she replied quietly, pulling away so that her lips could meet his.

It was a gentle, soft kiss and one that seemed to go on forever. Bastion put tenderness and strength in at his end, wanting Violet to feel stronger. But the kiss did end. "Violet...when we're done, and after we've freshened up, why don't you call Annie or Alexis? Or both of them? We could set up a conference call..."

"All right. I just hope they've had a better day than we had..."she replied as they went to eating.

Bastion dug in with gusto. "This is delicious!" he said. He bit into an apple slice and grinned. "This is good!"

"I know, right? I tried telling them that, but they didn't believe me." Violet herself was eating as fast as she always did, already nearing the halfway point of her meal.

"Yeah...well, everyone has a particular nervous point when it comes to food. I try nearly everything...except...chicken feet," he grimaced.

She grimaced as well. "Ewww! I once saw pig feet for sale at the grocery store. So gross..."

"I got the nerve to try those...not appetizing...and chicken feet...quite nasty," Bastion said. "Mum tried those and...well, she turned a most unattractive shade of green."

"Who would want to eat feet, anyway? Or any of those weird body parts. Like pickled fish eyes..." Violet shivered at the thought, but was able to continue eating.

"Oh, my goodness," Bastion said, stunned. "I'll add that to the list of foods I find repugnant..."

She blinked. "Repunant??" Violet asked, confused and as usual butchering the word.

"Repugnant, darling...it means I find the food horribly nasty and would avoid even touching it...except...maybe with very thick gloves..."

Violet's random side kicked in as she finished her salad and apples. "We used those kind of gloves when we did dissections in school...it was so gross!"

"Dissections can be fun...I find crayfish cadavers particularly amusing...something happened when I was at Stephen Hawking..."

"Really? What happened??" she asked curiously.

"My lab partner cut a bit too deep and beheaded the creature...She was brilliant when it came to labeling, but...she was terrible at dissections..."

Violet blinked. "That's not so bad. When my dad was in school and they dissected a fetal pig, he dressed it up and everything! He wasn't allowed to do anymore dissections and got into big trouble."

Bastion started cracking up. "Oh, my...Are you kidding? Lord help me if Jaden finds out about that! He just might do it!"

"Yeah, my dad was a class clown in school. Even though he swears that he was a 'player' and had all the ladies," she explained, grinning. "Mom says he was actually a hopeless romantic until they got together."

"Well...a little hopeless romanticism never hurt anyone. My dad was a hopeless romantic, believe it or not..."

"I could tell...had a feeling as soon as I met him." By now they had both finished eating, and Violet threw away the containers. "So...how do we do that 'conference call' thing, anyway??"

"Easy...but let's freshen up first...I don't know about you, Violet love, but I think that elephant left a lot of dirt on us...like our infamous dirt fight..."

She smiled at the memory and nodded in agreement. "Right...so, uh, showers are in order?"

"Yes...I'll set up what we need for the conference call and you can shower first..."

"Okay! Just don't make the same mistake I did!!" Violet joked, running off to get a change of clothes. Of course she'd been referring to the shower incident that had happened almost a month ago at the Misawa residence.

Bastion blushed, remembering. "I won't! I'll knock!" And he went to work making sure there could be a three-way phone call.

"Are you suggesting that I don't know how to knock??" called Violet from the second floor. She always showered upstairs, out of habit.

"No, darling," Bastion called back. "Of course not! I was just way too quiet!"

"I was joking, silly!" With that, she closed the door and started the shower. Bastion went to the sink before he touched anything electrical with the intent of washing his hands. He turned on the hot water tap and began scrubbing his hands. Violet had just gotten in the shower and was preparing to wash her hair.

"La la…hm hm..." Violet had just rubbed in the shampoo, when the pleasant warm water suddenly turned to ice. A loud scream could be heard, and she barreled out of the shower to grab a towel. "COLD, COLD, COLD!!!" she shouted. Barbara poked her head into the kitchen and sighed, walking over to turn off the tap. "Violet must have forgotten to tell you. Don't use water during a shower; it turns freezing."

Bastion's face went red. "Oh, no...oh, no...oh, no..."

Haylee jumped into the room. "OH YEAH! I'm the Kool-Aid Man!"

Barbara sweat-dropped, then went over to the stair railing. "Violet! Sweetie, are you okay?" she called.

The bathroom door opened and Violet walked out, soap covering her purple locks with a towel around her. "Yeah...but that was COLD!!!"

Bastion had stayed downstairs. "Sorry, Violet!" he called up the stairs. "It won't happen again!"

"Oh, it was you? Then I'm not mad! It's my fault for not telling you!!" called back Violet. She then went back into the bathroom to return to her shower.

"Don't worry, Bastion. She's pretty used to it by now. Either I did it by accident or Bobby did it on purpose," Barbara said, trying to calm the boy.

"Oh, good...jolly good..." Bastion finished checking everything. "Okay, we can have that conference call when she's ready, Barbara. I'm going to have her talk to Annie and Alexis later...I think she could use as many people as possible who know and love her telling her that..."

"That's a good idea, Bastion. I didn't even know we could do such a thing with these old phones," she replied, smiling.

Then, Violet walked in wearing a large white T-shirt and grey sweatpants. "Nice and comfortable. You can take one now, Bastion-baby. If you want."

"All right, then...I believe I will..." Bastion headed upstairs and into the bathroom. He pulled off his clothes and resolved to get them in the laundry immediately. He got into the shower and turned on the water.

Violet leaned on the counter, running a brush through her hair. Then, she got a mischievous grin on her face as an idea came to her. Violet nonchalantly walked over to the sink...and turned on the faucet. "Just some payback, Bastion-baby! Couldn't resist!!" she yelled.

"OH MY!" Bastion yelled. While he didn't barrel out of the shower, he did scream at three octaves higher than his normal voice. "I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T MAD!!"

She snapped off the faucet, causing the water to return to its normal temperature. "I wasn't! But like I said, I just couldn't resist!! It's in my blood!"

Bastion finished his shower, got dressed and came back downstairs. "I'll have to keep reminding myself of that, love..." He kissed her on the cheek. They looked at the clock. "I wonder if Annie and Sy would be home at this time. It's only noon in Seattle and in Domino."

Violet smacked her forehead. "Three hour difference! Three hours!! Why can't I live on the West coast??" she whined, pouting.

"I do," Bastion reminded her. "We could always live in Domino..."

She considered the idea. There was the ocean, the beach, most of her friends. "That's not a bad idea, Bastion-baby. We'll have to think about that when we come to the house situation. For now...I don't want to call if they're not home."

"Hmmm...let's just take a rest for a little bit...then we can call...what do you suppose Alexis is up to?"

Violet shrugged. "Trying not to lose her sanity by being alone with Jaden and Atty?"

"Oh! They're getting their driver's licenses today!"

"Oh, lord," she groaned, then blinked. "Hey...that's what Zaney always says! I stole his catchphrase!!"

"I have a feeling that's who most of Domino will be calling out to... Divine intervention," Bastion said thoughtfully. "How about Chazz?"

"I've never seen him try driving before. All we can do is hope that all his time spent with Jaden hasn't transferred driving skills."

"Hmmm...perhaps we should just make a simple call to the Rhodes or the Yukis..." Bastion had a nagging suspicion that that group would actually be home after the test. "What do you think, darling?"

"I'm fine with it if you think they're back by now, Bastion-baby," she replied, smiling.

"Okay, then..." Bastion picked up the phone and dialed the number. Miles away at the Rhodes residence, Atticus picked up the phone.

"Aloha! Rhodes residence, Atticus speaking!" greeted the ever-cheerful teen.

"Hey, Atticus!" Bastion greeted. "How went the driving test for our rookies?"

"Hey, Bastion! All three passed, and Jaden even drove us all home!! But...he kinda made Lexi carsick," he explained, sweat-dropping.

"Sick?" Bastion's features tightened. "How did that happen?"

"Uh, well, I guess Jaden's driving was just too much for her or something." Atticus offered, shrugging. Violet, on a second phone, sent Bastion an "I told you so" look.

"Oh, bugger...well, is she all right to speak with Violet?"

"Lemme ask!" He poked his head into the living room, where Alexis was still laying down. "Hey, Lexi, you well enough to talk to Violet?"

Alexis blinked. "Uh, yeah," she replied.

"All right! Here you go!!" he stated, handing her the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Alexis! How are you feeling?" Bastion asked. He looked at Violet, urging her to talk.

"Hi, Bastion. Still a little sick, but the Tylenol helped a lot. Why did Violet want to talk to me?" Alexis asked, curious.

Violet bit her bottom lip. "Well, uh...Bastion-baby and I went out today, into the city. And...during lunch, we...ran into M-Mike," she explained.

Alexis's eyes widened. "You what?!"

"Mike...I should've been there..." Bastion's own hurt seeped into his voice. "We were going to have lunch..."

"Wait, why weren't you with her?" asked Alexis.

"He had to go use the restroom. But, he came and scared M-Mike away after a minute or so...."

In Domino, Jaden and Chazz were glancing at Atticus and Alexis. "Can we get on?" they asked softly.

Atticus grinned. "One sec, guys!" He ran off to collect the phones that were placed around the house, and returned about fifteen seconds later with three. "Here you go," he stated, handing them each one.

Bastion looked at his love. "Yes...I had to use the restroom...and he showed up...he'd berated her for just long enough when I got there...I was such a fool..."

On the other end of the land lines, Alexis looked at her fiancé and her brothers noticing they had the handhelds. "Guys, it was Mike. They ran into him while having lunch in the city." Alexis explained, seeing as they'd missed some.

"Bastion-baby...what'd I tell you on the way home?" asked Violet, pouting.

"I just can't shake it..." Alexis heard and signaled the boys to turn on their handhelds.

"Bastion, Violet's right. You didn't know he was going to be there at the time," stated Alexis, frowning.

"That's what I told him. I don't want you to blame yourself," added Violet sadly.

"Listen to her, Bastion. That wasn't your fault!" Jaden said.

"Huh? Jaden?"

"And I agree with him," Chazz said. "Bastion, it's not your fault the guy is a total creep that likes being that way! And you have to use the bathroom!" he concluded.

"Yes, but...oh, I told Violet I wouldn't beat myself up...but I can't help it..."

"All right. So let me get this straight. Violet and Bastion go to have lunch, Bastion leaves. Mike comes over and rips on her, until Bastion comes back and scares him off. Is that what happened?" asked Atticus.

"Yeah..." Bastion said.

"Well, why are you blaming yourself?? You didn't make fun of her, Mike did! And you even scared the creep off!!" Atticus was confused as to what reason Bastion had to beat himself up like he was.

"Yeah, Bastion, you were a hero and you made sure he stayed away! I'll bet you'd have whaled on him!" Jaden added.

"I would have," Bastion admitted. "Okay, so why are you kicking yourself?" Chazz asked.

"Because it shouldn't have happened at all!" Bastion said forcefully.

Violet placed a calming hand on his arm. "Of course not, Bastion-baby. But...it probably would have happened sooner or later. I couldn't have stopped what happened years ago, even though it shouldn't have happened, either..."

Bastion sighed. "Thanks, everyone...Violet, darling, would you like to chat with everyone alone for a bit? Everyone, just remind her how absolutely special she is, won't you?"

"You've got it!" the guys chorused.

"Hey, Violet!" Jaden said, "You're a lot of fun!"

"And I never want to make you mad!" Chazz added.

Violet punched him lightly on the arm. "I can hear you, you know! Geez...I think you made that point perfectly clear earlier, Bastion-baby," she stated, sighing.

"You've got it!" the guys chorused.

"Hey, Violet!" Jaden said, "You're a lot of fun!"

"And I never want to make you mad!" Chazz added.

"I don't know how you always have so much energy," added Alexis.

"And you rock when it comes to pranking!" Atticus stated with a grin.

By now, Violet was blushing a little. "Guys...thanks. Thanks a lot..."

The four kids smiled. "Hey, it's true," Jaden said. "Violet, that guy is a big jerk and if he tries anything ever again, he has all of us to deal with!"

"Yeah," Chazz added. "You guys helped me when what happened with my ex-brothers happened and that means we stick with you, okay?"

"All right. I know you guys would do that," Violet replied, smiling.

"Though we'd probably have to wait in line. Bastion would be the first to do it," joked Atticus.

Bastion, having temporarily hung up his phone, noticed Violet's expression and had heard his name mentioned. "Violet?" he mouthed.

Violet placed a hand over the receiver and grinned. "Oh, the guys were just saying how they'd teach Mike a lesson if he ever did anything. But that they'd have to wait in line 'cause you'd be the first to do it," she explained, reaching up to place a quick kiss on his lips.

Bastion smiled and picked up his phone. "Hello again, everyone, and you are very correct. I have a plan should he try again," the teen said darkly.

"Bastion...remember what I asked you," stated Violet, frowning. No matter what, she didn't want him dropping to Mike's level. Even if it was for her.

"I know, darling...Violet has told me she doesn't want me to come to harm, and avoid violence...I will try to avoid it...But...my logic may not function if he ever lays a hand on her..."

Suddenly, a hand was placed on each teen's shoulder, causing them both to jump. "And that's what I'm here for! Think of me as a leash for your boyfriend if somethin' like that ever happens," explained Bobby, grinning. While the couple had been having their conversation, Alan and Bobby had gotten home from work.

"Oh, bloody..! Hello, Bobby!" Bastion said, admittedly startled. "Bobby's here, everyone," he explained.

"Who are you talkin' to, anyways??" Bobby asked curiously. "Hello!!!" he yelled into Violet's receiver.

Alexis visibly winced and pulled the phone away from her ear. "Hello to you, too, Bobby...ow," she groaned. Violet sighed aggravatingly and stomped on his foot, dispersing him instantly.

"HEY BOBBY!" Jaden yelled back, just as loud.

"JADEN, WHAT THE HECK!" Chazz yelped. Bastion, on the other end of the phone, gave a long-suffering sigh.

Both Violet's and Alexis' brows twitched. "Sometimes, I wonder if..." began Alexis.

"I know, I know. If they're related," interrupted Violet, frowning.

"It's Jaden," Bastion and Chazz said at the same time.

Atticus blinked. "Did I miss something here?"

"Bobby and Jaden may not be related," Bastion explained, "but they are very much alike, Atticus, and that is why we find their similarities amusing."

"You said it," Chazz added.

"Oh...I don't get it," Jaden said, grinning. Everyone on both ends of the phone lines sweat-dropped.

"Hey! What are you guys saying about me??" called Bobby. He was a few feet away, hopping up and down on his good foot. Unfortunately, he ended up tripping down the two stairs leading to living room and landed on his head. Violet slammed her head against the wall in exasperation.

"I don't get it either," added Atticus, furthering the damage.

Everyone on the Domino end of the phone line looked around. "Man, where's Zane when we need him?" Chazz wondered.

"Why?" Jaden asked.

"He needs to say his line..."

"Huh?"

"You know…" Chazz got a very serious expression on his face and said, "Oh lord."

"Hey, you guys never said Zane was there!" stated Violet, blinking.

Alexis grinned. "Actually, Violet, that was Chazz. I guess he makes a good Zane," she explained.

"Nah, he needs the blue hair," Atticus reminded.

"His hair is blue-black," Bastion said pointedly.

Violet gave Bastion a look. "There's a difference??" she asked.

"Well, uh, it's different from Syrus's hair. His is more of a light blue. But..." Alexis sighed; it was hard to explain.

"Whatever," Jaden sighed. "Just remember, Violet, we're all here and we'd be on the next plane to help your brother and Bastion take that jerk down."

"I know...let's just hope it doesn't come to that. Maybe Bastion-baby scared him away. You should have seen him..." Violet's eyes turned into hearts and she smiled.

Bastion blushed under her adoring gaze. "Bastion? Mad? Yeah, that would've been something to see!" Chazz said.

"Hey, Jaden, have you ever seen him mad? You and Sy spent the most time with him," asked Atticus, grinning.

"Uh..." Jaden thought, and thought. "Not really, come to think of it...it seems a little out of character for him to get really ticked off."

"It's always the quiet ones," quoted Alexis, smiling.

Violet blinked. "So...ooh, I see. It's like Sy with his temper!"

"Syrus gets mad and he lets us know it," Jaden said. "Annie says he's cute when he's mad...I don't get that..."

"Bastion-baby's not cute, he's HOT when he gets mad!" stated Violet, grinning.

"It just depends on your point of view," offered Alexis.

"Like how I think you'd make a great pop star—" began Atticus.

"For the last time, NO, ATTY!!" Jaden and Chazz looked at each other and grimaced. Bastion just barely managed to suppress a snicker.

Violet waved her hand around as if she was in class. "I'd do it! If it wasn't for the fact I can't sing in front of people. Sorry, Atty!!" she explained, grinning sheepishly.

The group talked on for another 20 minutes, and then hung up. Bastion looked at the clock. "Violet, do you think Annie would be home by 1:00 Seattle time?"

She shrugged. "It's worth a try. We can always try again if she's not."

_So Mike has been chased away and Violet knows her Domino friends will stick by her. Now, what of Annie and Sy in Seattle? And Tyson and Rosa all the way in Spain? Find out next time in "I'll Stand By You." Until then, read, review and stay tuned. Thank you again for all of your quick and thoughtful reviews!_


	70. I'll Stand By You

Chapter LXX: I'll Stand By You

_Hey, everyone. Thanks to Peach being busy with other projects unrelated to writing on FF, there was a delay in getting this chapter up. Anyway, welcome back and we're sorry for the delay. This was Peach Wookiee's fault. Thanks for reviewing, everyone and for reading. Just remember that we respond to every single signed review that we get. And if we happen to know you're an FF writer and didn't log in, we'll try to get a response to you as well. So on with the story!_

_Recap: After a horrible incident at a local restaurant in Cleveland, Violet gets a pep talk from her friends in Domino and her family. Bastion is tearing himself up inside over his failure to protect Violet from Mike. So what will happen next? Read on!_

After chatting with the gang in Domino, Bastion called to Annie's home in Medina. "Hello?" Bobby Hanson answered.

"Hi, this is Violet, Annie's best bud! Is she there?" greeted Violet.

"Hi, Violet!" Bobby greeted cheerfully. "I'm sorry, but she, Mom, Dad and Syrus went to the Pike Place Market. They should be back in a couple of hours, though..."

"Oh, fish sticks!"

"I'll tell her you called. Uh...do you want to try again in a few hours or do you want her to call you?"

"It would probably be easier if she just called us. Thanks, Bobby!" replied Violet.

"For what??" called Bobby Haverbrook from the living room.

"No problem, Violet," Bobby Hanson said, bidding her goodbye and hanging up.

"Annie's brother is also Bobby," Bastion called back to Bobby Haverbrook.

Bobby scratched his head and blinked. "It'll be tough if our families ever meet, then," he replied.

"We'll muddle through...too bad the two families have the same last initials," Bastion observed. "Violet darling, why don't you take a rest for a bit? I can wake when Annie calls if you aren't awake."

"All right...Bobby! No pranking Bastion-baby!! Or else!" she warned, growling.

Bobby sweat-dropped. "I know, I know," he replied, grinning sheepishly.

"It's quite all right, darling...You just rest," Bastion soothed.

"I will, I will," Violet sighed and went to her room, leaving the two boys alone.

"So, Bobby..." Bastion wasn't sure what to say as he was alone with one of two men that had protected and loved Violet before he came into the picture. He couldn't shake that horrible feeling of failure. "Bobby...er..."

"What? I'm all ears if you wanna talk, Bastion," Bobby replied from his spot on the couch.

"I wanted to chat casually, but with what's happened...I wouldn't blame you for thinking less of me..."

Bobby blinked, Bastion's words taking a moment to fully register. "Think less of...? Oh! You mean about what happened earlier!! Bastion, I'll ask you three things. One, did you know Mike was around?"

"No..."

"All right. Two, did you know Mike was tormenting her when you were in the bathroom?"

"No..."

"And lastly, did you scare the creep off?"

"Yes...but...I just like I should've been able to do more..."

"What more do you think you could have done, Bastion?" he asked.

Bastion shook his head, and moaned softly. "I don't know...logic tells me I couldn't have done any more, but...this is unusual for me, Mike, but my logic is very uncertain where Violet's concerned..."

Bobby grinned and hopped to his feet, walking over to place a hand on his shoulder. "So that's the problem! Bastion, if there's one thing that doesn't apply to anyone in this family, it's logic. BUT, that doesn't mean you should ignore what your mind's telling you."

Bastion sighed. "Sorry...would it be all right if we talked about something...well, lighter?"

"Of course! What's your fancy??" he asked, grinning.

"Er...how about cars?"

"Now you're speaking my language! If you hadn't noticed, they're a big part of the Haverbrook lifestyle." Bobby and Bastion sat back down on the couch to get more comfortable while they talked.

"Obviously," Bastion smiled easily. "Well, do you have a favorite car that you like detailing? I've fancied the 2013 Ford Mustang...even with the new fuel efficiency standards, it's managed to be quite the muscle car..."

"Nice, you have pretty good tastes. Mine would have to be the 2017 Toyota Excelion. That thing purrs like a kitten if you tune it just right, and looks great in front of night club neons," Bobby grinned and elbowed him. "I just so happen to know Violet's favorite...her dream car..."

"Oh?" Bastion asked, intrigued. "What is it?"

"Heh…the latest model of Ferrari's Phoenix convertible. It's not even supposed to come out until August, but dad gets car magazines with sneak pictures of it. The second Vi saw that car last year in Ferrari's magazine; she constantly talked about it."

"The 2019 edition...oh my...and that's more than a house, isn't it?"

"Pretty much. Ferrari's models don't come cheap, and they're only making a set amount. Unfortunately, they're not gonna let out that little piece of info 'till they start selling them."

"Ah...well, perhaps some day...Do they sell models of them?"

Bobby thought for a few moments. "Yeah...I remember earlier today that Dad was complaining about how pricy they were. Apparently, he was going to order some to sell at the shop, but they cost three times as much as most models."

"Could...someone make a special order at the shop?"

Bobby blinked. "Why? You weren't thinking about getting one for Vi, were you??"

Bastion nodded. "I am, actually...Do you think she'd like it?"

"Oh yeah! She'll love it!! A perfect birthday present."

"Her birthday is coming up here in July...What day is it again?"

Bobby blinked, then smacked his forehead. "Oh geez, I brought up her birthday! She told me not to...Vi is so gonna get me for this one."

Bastion flushed. "I just want to know. She told the therapist her birthday is in July and...I don't want to be a neglectful fiancé or stereotypical husband that forgets birthdays and anniversaries, you know..."

Bobby sweat-dropped. "Er, no, it's not that. See...oh man, don't tell her I told you this. Vi was planning to have a surprise party for everyone the night before you guys go back to Duel Academy. She told us to use the money for that instead of for a sixteenth birthday party. Kind of like a...celebration for the last year of school before you guys get really serious. All of you..."

"That's all right...but that party won't be until August, however...I don't want her birthday forgotten...Please just tell me the date...and I'll keep quiet..."

Bobby sighed. "All right. It's the twentieth. We were all planning to still give her something, so I guess it's a good idea you thought of that model as a present."

"Excellent...Bobby, can you help me make the proper arrangements?"

"Sure. Why don't you and Vi relax the rest of the week, and after the Fourth of July you guys can come to work with us? We can make the arrangements while Violet goes to get ice cream; she always does."

"That would be wonderful!" Bastion said happily. "Even if I can't make every dream of hers come true, I'd like to give her a piece of it..."

"Bastion, you're a great guy. Mind shaking my hand?" asked Bobby, smiling.

"Certainly," Bastion answered, shaking his hand.

Then, an electric shock ran up and down Bastion's arm, Bobby pulling away to reveal a joy buzzer. "Ha ha! I couldn't resist!! Man, that's the oldest prank in the book!"

"Oh, my!" Bastion jumped slightly. And then he laughed. "I believe my Granddad Misawa knows that one! Jolly good! I won't be telling your sister, however..."

"No need..." At the voice, Bobby winced, and both boys turned to see Violet standing at the foot of the steps. Her purple hair was down and she was in nothing but a lavender pajama tank top and purple pajama pants. "Bobby...I said. NO. PRANKING. BASTION-BABY." With each word, she slammed her fist onto his head, promptly creating three large bumps.

"Violet, darling, I didn't mind!" Bastion pleaded.

"Don't worry, Bastion-baby. He probably didn't feel much pain. All Haverbrooks are hard-headed, remember? That's why I aimed for his head," she explained.

Apparently, Bobby still felt some pain, since he was holding his head. "Ow! Vi, I swear you're wearing down my shields here!!"

"Not that hard-headed, darling," Bastion said, bewildered. "Bobby, should I get an ice pack?"

"Nah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about it. Vi just gets moody when she's tired—" began Bobby. However, a fourth blow to the head and equally large fourth bump quickly made him shut his mouth.

"My fist's starting to hurt," she whined, shaking it.

"Violet, darling..."

"Violet, listen to your fiancé," Alan said, coming in the room. "We don't need any trips to the ER!"

"All right, Dad. But Bobby should know better by now," she replied simply. Violet practically fell onto the couch to sit down, causing Bobby to rise up and promptly fall off. "Now that wasn't my fault," she stated, blinking.

"Today...is not...my day," Bobby groaned, sitting up. He groaned again and Bastion ran for an ice pack. And then, the phone rang.

Violet quickly picked up the phone. "Hello, Haverbrook house, Violet speaking!"

"Violet, it's Annie!" Annie was sitting in the living room of her house with Syrus at her side. "How are you?"

"I'm doing...okay. It's a long story," replied Violet, frowning.

"What happened?" Annie asked. "Violet?" She gripped Sy's hand, her eyes fearful.

"Well, the day started out good. Bastion-baby and I went to the zoo, and were gonna have lunch. But then..." And Violet once more told what had happened, starting with when Mike had appeared and ending with when he left.

Annie's face went white. "Oh, no...he's back? And he was mean like that? Oh, no..."

"I-I don't know if I'll run into him again. Bastion-baby scared him, I think. But...I don't know what I'll do if he does come again, Annie."

Annie trembled, then swallowed hard. 'Why, Lord?' she mentally prayed. 'Why must this evil person emerge from the shadows?' "Violet," she found herself saying, "I wish I knew what to tell you...but maybe...All I can tell you is...fight back. Don't let him win..."

Violet sighed, remembering the argument she'd had with Mike just hours ago. "I'll try, Annie. You can count on that," she finally replied. Deep down, though, Violet wondered if she really could. She hadn't exactly won their argument, and didn't like violence.

"Violet," Annie said, "winning isn't always about besting someone in a duel or in a fight, or even about turning them to the way you think. In this case, you have to ask yourself, 'Do I love and believe in myself?'"

Violet bit her bottom lip, the question catching her off-guard. Did she believe in herself? Did she think she could stand up to him?? How long could this go on without something...happening? "I...I just don't know the answer to that, Annie," she replied quietly, eyes burning with held back tears.

"Violet," Annie tried again, "you don't have to stand up to him and make him bow down to you. All you have to do is know who you really are...and..." Annie began to struggle, tears flowing. "R-remember..."

"I…I…" Violet was at a loss for words as her own tears fell, not knowing what she should do. She decided to simply wait until Annie had regained her voice to finish. Annie, however, was struggling for control and gripped Syrus's hand tightly. But somehow, she couldn't seem to get herself in control.

Syrus had felt it necessary for Annie and Violet to just talk to each other, but now realized that would be impossible if they were both breaking down into tears. "Annie, it's okay...calm down," he whispered, hugging her.

Bastion, on his end of the phone, hugged Violet close. "Darling, shh..." He gently took the phone from her and said into the receiver, "Annie?" But Annie was upset and Sy had to take the phone from her.

"Sorry, Bastion. Annie just started crying and I'm trying to get her to calm down. Is Violet okay?" he asked, getting Annie a tissue from the coffee table.

"She's shaken up," Bastion answered. "We started out with such a fun day, and some cretin had to ruin it for us...Did you have fun today?"

"Uh, yeah. We went to Pike Place Market and looked at the stores. Annie bought me a UFO-roid model and I got her some sterling silver roses, and we ate some doughnuts..."

"Oh? And did you see the Pike Place Fish Market? I've always wanted to see it..."

"Oh yeah, we did! It was pretty cool seeing the fish get thrown like that. Uh, what did you and Violet do? Before, you know..."

"We went to the Metroparks Zoo...That was very entertaining. We saw a spider monkey that looked like Jaden!" Bastion started laughing a bit at that.

Syrus blinked. "You did? Wow…Did you see any other animals that looked like us??"

"As a matter of fact, we saw a bush baby that looked sort of like you, and we saw many koalas. I needn't say who those looked like..."

Sy couldn't help but laugh a little at that, knowing exactly who Bastion was talking about. "Sounds like you guys had fun."

"We did, but that wasn't the most humorous incident. We saw the elephants first and...they threw dirt on us!"

"They did? Let me guess, other things happened, didn't they?? You guys seem to attract a lot of strange stuff." Syrus remembered when they'd told everyone what had happened on their day out, the day Kisara learned that Violet had mono.

"Tell me about it!" Bastion grinned. "Oh, we also raced cheetahs..."

That caught Sy's attention, and he blinked in surprise. "Raced...cheetahs??"

"Yes...we ran alongside the enclosure. Violet's so beautiful when she runs...at least in my opinion...I'd wager you'd think Annie is the most beautiful and we know what Jaden and Tyson think..."

"Yeah..."

Bastion looked at Violet. "Just a moment, Syrus...Violet darling, do you think you're all right to talk?"

Violet's eyes were a little red and puffy from crying, but the tears had stopped. "Y-Yeah...what about Annie?" she asked.

"Annie, can you talk now?" asked Syrus.

Annie nodded. "I'm ready..." Bastion handed Violet the phone, keeping his arm around her.

Syrus handed the phone back to Annie. "Violet?" Annie asked. She needed to be sure Violet heard everything.

"Yeah, Annie?" Violet replied quietly.

"Remember that you are the best friend I have ever had...and that we all love you...Mike can't take that away from you, ever..."

Fresh tears threatened to fall, and Violet quickly swiped an arm over her eyes. "Annie, I...thanks. I know you guys are all here for me, and...it's nice to know. Nice to know that...I'm not alone like before..."

"We're all here...no matter what..." Annie felt Sy's arm go around her as her own tears fell.

Everything seemed to calm down for the rest of that day. And then everyone went to bed at different times. At 2 AM in Medina, Washington, Annie woke up screaming. "NO! VIOLET!!!"

Syrus snapped awake, quickly sitting up with wide eyes. "What? Who?! Annie??" he stuttered, heart racing.

Annie wasn't quite awake yet. "No, Violet...LET HER GO!"

"Huh? Violet?? Annie, wake up! It's just a dream!!" shouted Syrus. He grabbed her arm and tried shaking her, though it was hard.

Annie blinked and came out of it. "S-Sy..." She hugged him, hard.

And then Kathy, Alex and Bobby all came running in. "What's going on?" Kathy asked. Annie was shaking and sweaty at the same time.

"I-I don't know. She was having a nightmare, I think," offered Syrus as he held her.

Alex walked over to place a strong, comforting hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Now, Annie, just calm down...it was only a dream," he soothed quietly.

Annie trembled. "Daddy, it wasn't normal...You know how sometimes I've had those dreams that end up coming true?"

"Sweetie?" Kathy said. "Honey, they've been wrong before..."

"Yeah...Annie, sometimes," Bobby offered, but his sister looked at him with genuine fear in her blue eyes.

"It was one of those dreams that comes true...I'm scared..."

Syrus frowned, never having known this. "Well, uh, what was it about, Annie?" he asked, arms still around her.

"It was about Violet...Sy, Mike hurt her, but I couldn't tell when...I never can stop it..." She was feeling weak again. "I've got to lie down."

"Sweetie, do you...?" Kathy asked softly.

"I'll be okay," the teen girl said. "I just don't know about Violet..."

Syrus was getting worried now. There was a high chance of Violet running into Mike again. "But Annie, don't worry. Bastion will be there, remember? As long as he's there, he'll protect her."

"Sy...he wasn't..." Annie was trembling badly.

Kathy brushed Annie's bangs as she lay down. "Honey...maybe this is one of those times your premonition is wrong. You go back to sleep and in the morning we can go to Sacred Heart and pray, all right?"

"Yes, Mama..." Annie's parents and brother gave her hugs and kisses and left. Then she and Syrus were alone in the bedroom. She cuddled next to him. "Syrus, I'm so afraid..."

Syrus swallowed nervously, arms wrapped around her in a comforting hug. "I know, Annie. All we can do is hope that...that your 'premonition' is wrong. Or maybe something happens to change it..."

"Sy..." She just hugged close to him, seeking comfort in his form. "Just hold me..." Her heart was beating a bit fast, but not at episode level.

He nodded and continued to hold her close to him, each able to hear the other's heartbeat in the silence that ensued. Finally, Annie fell into an exhausted sleep.

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

The next morning, back in Ohio, Bastion and Violet awoke in her room at 7:30. Both had slept fitfully through that night, despite Violet having taken a sleep aid pain reliever. Bastion, for his part, couldn't shake the illogical feeling that Mike would find them and hurt Violet. "Good morning, darling. Did you manage to get any sleep at all?" he asked, keeping her close.

"Maybe a little...hard to know for sure after how many times I woke up..."she murmured tiredly. There were slight dark smudges under her eyes. The exhaustion she usually worked up in a day plus little sleep was not doing her good.

Bastion didn't look much better. His five o'clock shadow was a bit more pronounced since he was puffy-eyed and pale from lack of sleep. "I'm sorry," he murmured back, kissing her gently. "I wish I hadn't left as I did..." Despite Violet reminding him that what happened wasn't his fault, he was still kicking himself a little.

She rested her head against his chest. "Bastion-baby, you have nothing to say sorry for. You didn't know he'd show up if you just left to use the bathroom..."

"I know, darling...but maybe if he'd seen you with me...you wouldn't have had such a rough night..."

"Bastion, for all we know, he waited until you did leave...and you can't stay with me every second. He would have shown up anytime you let me out of your sight..."

Bastion sighed. "I know that," he said gently. "My logic probably isn't at its best this morning, Violet. I think we need to make another phone call this morning since we couldn't yesterday..."

Violet thought for a moment, though her mind was fuzzier than usual thanks to not getting enough sleep. "To....Rosa and Tyson, right?" she finally asked.

"Yeah...the time difference was just too much," he explained. "But... should we get some breakfast first?"

Her stomach growled, but she answered anyway. "Probably a good idea. Maybe that'll help us deal with not getting enough sleep."

"Yes... Well, let's take it easy today and watch movies. We have plenty of time to see the sights, after all," he grinned finally, though anyone who knew the teen genius well could see he hid some pain.

She saw it, but knew repeating what she'd said to him right then wouldn't help any further. She'd just have to keep reminding him. "All right. Maybe we'll be able to get some more sleep too."

"Yeah...we'll watch something funny," he agreed.

The couple headed downstairs to the kitchen where Barbara had fixed breakfast for those already up. "Morning, kids...No sleep, huh?" Alan greeted and asked with concern.

"Not much, Dad," Violet answered through a yawn as they sat at the table. Bobby and Haylee were there as well.

"Sissa, Bastion...you guys need to go back to bed," Haylee said with the tact typical of a seven-year-old. She came over to her big sister and gave her a kiss on the cheek and then gave Bastion a hug. "Mike's such a doodie head... I'd like to feed him to a Red-Eyes Black Dragon..."

Violet smiled a little at her sister. "So would I, Haylee. Or any other monster with very sharp teeth..."

Alan sighed, thinking what he'd like to do to the boy who'd harmed his eldest daughter. 'Pity I'd get sent to jail for 20 years...' Out loud, however, he said, "Mike will pay for what he did...eventually, what you do catches up with you..."

"Yup. Karma gets you every time, no matter who you are," Bobby agreed, nodding.

"Barbara," Bastion asked as the older woman came around with stacks of pancakes for everyone, "would it be all right if we stay here and watch movies today? I think we're both frightfully tired..."

"Why of course, Bastion. In fact, I was going to tell you over breakfast that you two should stay home and rest today," Barbara answered; she'd been ready to get stern and serious with the both of them.

"Yeah, I was about to say the same thing," Alan agreed. "You two wouldn't be all right out there. Besides, you can fall asleep while watching your movies...Violet, I'd suggest keeping it light..."

"Alan...you read my mind," Bastion grinned. "We have to make a phone call after breakfast..."

"To whom?" Bobby asked curiously.

"Tyson and Rosa. We couldn't call them last night 'cause it was too late where they were," Violet explained.

"Good idea...Vi, listen to your friends again and remember that they love and care about you...just like we do," Alan said.

Violet nodded. "I know, Dad. It helps...having other people with me this time around..."

"And we will not leave her...Violet...darling, what do you think Tyson and Rosa's reactions will be when they hear of this?" Bastion asked her.

Violet thought for a few moments. "Well, they'll be really mad. Knowing them, it might be a good thing they're on another continent..."

"Exactly...Rosa will probably curse in Spanish and be prepared to tear Mike limb from limb," Bastion observed.

Violet nodded. "Tyson'll want to do something similar to that, but more along the lines of pounding him into the ground..."

"Oh, yes...'Sam Hill! I'd like to introduce him to Black Tyranno!'" Bastion imitated. His attempt at a Texas twang combined with his British accent caused everyone to laugh.

"Bastion, you've gotta do that when we're back with the gang! They'll laugh themselves right out of their chairs!" Violet said, grinning.

Alan was wiping tears from his eyes. "That's great, Bastion! I agree. So call them...I think you both need the morale booster..."

Violet nodded. "We will, Dad. Don't you and Bobby need to get to the shop?"

"Yeah, we do," Alan answered, drinking down the last of his coffee. "Ready to go, Bobby?"

Bobby had just finished chugging his orange juice and grinned. "Yeah, Dad! Let's go pimp some rides."

With that, the two men got up and headed out for the day. "Sissa, what movies are you gonna watch?" Haylee asked.

"Oh, I don't know...we have so many to choose from. Everything from Disney to Miyazaki to Adam Sandler," Violet answered, sweat-dropping.

"We'll decide, Haylee...but I should warn you that we'll be dreadfully boring to watch with," Bastion said gently. Haylee pouted a little.

Barbara smiled. "Haylee, I have to run up to the store later. Why don't you come with me and we can get lunch at your favorite place?"

"Okay!" Haylee grinned. "Thanks, Mommy!"

"You're welcome, sweetie." Barbara winked at the couple knowingly.

Bastion winked back. He and Violet finished their breakfasts and at 8 o'clock, the couple was in her room with his cell phone. "Hmmm, there's a six-hour time difference between us and Spain...should be two o'clock there," Bastion mused.

"Well, it's a good thing we know Tyson's cell number," Violet replied.

"Yes, it is," the teen boy agreed.

Meanwhile, in Spain... "Darlin', do we have this beach all to ourselves?" Tyson asked in amazement as he and Rosa stepped onto a small and quiet stretch of sand.

Rosa nodded, smiling. "Yes, Ty-Ty. Not many even from town know about it. So it's far less crowded than the main beach."

"It's nice...and very private," he smiled, laying down some beach towels and a small basket of treats.

She sighed as she sat down on one of the towels, the cool breeze blowing in from the ocean feeling wonderful in the slight heat of the afternoon. "It is...perfect for us to just relax with each other." They were both clad in swimwear. Tyson was wearing a bright red pair of swim trunks, the same color as Rosa's suit. Hers was a one piece; her father wasn't exactly comfortable with his only daughter wearing two-piece swimsuits. "The water should be very warm during this time of year. Though there'll be some waves with this wind."

Tyson liked the way Rosa looked in the one-piece. "That's good..." And then Tyson's phone rang. "That's funny...we're gettin' a call from the States..."

Rosa looked over at him in surprise. "Really? From who?"

Tyson's eyebrows raised. "Private Bastion...I hope everything's all right..." He picked up, remembering to switch back to English. "Hello?"

"Tyson, it's Bastion. How are you?"

"Good, but surprised you're callin'! What's up?"

"I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news..."

"Bad news?!"

Rosa, upon hearing her boyfriend say "bad news", quickly leaned over so that she could barely hear what Bastion was saying. "What mal news?" she asked in her mottled English.

Bastion heard and Tyson switched to speakerphone. "Rosa...Mike has reared his head," Bastion sighed.

"That varmint?" Tyson growled, his eyes shifting reptilian momentarily.

Rosa's own eyes flashed, but with anger. "Did he try anything?" she asked, voice a low growl.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the fist on Bastion's free hand clenched and unclenched. "He emotionally roughed her up...He called her names...and..."

Tyson listened as Bastion grew silent on the other end of the line. "Private Bastion...you stopped him, though... Private Violet, are you there?" the Texas boy asked.

Violet turned on a second receiver. "Yeah, I'm here..."

"Are you okay?" Tyson asked gently. "And is Private Bastion all right?"

"I'm...better than I was yesterday. And Bastion's just having some problems...he feels bad for not being there when Mike appeared..." Violet explained as she placed her hand in Bastion's.

"That guy's a coward, Violet, and am I right that he waited until you were alone to ambush you?" Tyson asked, eyes still flashing reptilian. It was fortunate for Mike that Tyson was nowhere in his vicinity, because at this moment, the boy with the dinosaur DNA was dangerously close to battle rage and would tear the abuser apart.

"Yeah, I think he did...he appeared right after Bastion left," Violet answered.

Rosa's fists clenched in anger. "That...that cobarde! Such dishonor! Attacking una chica while ella es alone..." The Spanish girl would have joined her fiancé in a heartbeat if he were to really attack Mike.

Bastion finally regained his powers of speech. "I had to use the restroom...I was such a fool..."

"Private Bastion...how does that make you a fool?" Tyson wondered.

"It doesn't. But he won't stop kicking himself," Violet sighed.

"Bastion, you were not the one who hurt Violet," Rosa reminded, confused.

"But I should've been able to..."

"Sam Hill! Private, you can't be in two places at once, and you have to use the latrine!" Tyson exclaimed. "What is your major malfunction, soldier? This ain't your fault! And it ain't yours, either, Private Violet. If we have to, we'll come back to the States, hunt him down and send him to the prison barracks!" he growled.

"Sí! Both of you must remember that he is the one who is causing all of this. Not you!" Rosa added sternly.

Tyson took a deep breath. "Have you two talked to the Sarge yet?"

"Yes, Tyson, we have. Most of the gang, as a matter of fact," Bastion admitted. "They've each told me not to kick myself and Violet that she is very much loved."

"Well, let me add to that," Tyson said. "And you're like a brother, Bastion," he concluded, dropping rank for a moment. "Everybody in the gang's like that...Violet, you're like another sister..."

Bastion was stunned for a second. "Tyson..."

Violet's own eyes were wide. "Tyson, you...I didn't know you felt that way..."

"I'm not great with feelings as Rosa can tell you," the Texas boy admitted, grateful his cell phone didn't have videophone capabilities. He was blushing a bit and this was hard.

Rosa placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling at him. "He is right, you know. But I know that is how he really feels about everyone en our group. Y...so do I. It may not seem like it either, but...I think of all of you as mis hermanos y hermanas Americanos," she admitted, blushing herself at this confession.

"Rosa...Thank you," Bastion managed to say. He was a trifle choked up now. "I am honored beyond words..."

"Think nothin' of it, Bastion...It's how we all feel," Tyson concluded, keeping Rosa close to him. "Violet...we all do love you and we ain't leavin' you alone. And if that jerk told you different, the Great General's gonna punish his lyin' tongue..."

Violet was smiling now, and she could feel tears coming to her eyes. She sniffed, wiping them away with her hand. "Tyson...Rosa...all of you. Everyone's been so supportive...it doesn't hurt as much as the last time," she said, feeling uplifted.

Rosa smiled. "It es what amigos are for. Especially since all of us are even more than that."

"That we are, Rosa," Bastion said, keeping Violet close. "So...what have you all been up to in Spain?"

"Well, we're at the beach today," Tyson grinned, "and it's private!"

"Wow, a private beach?!" Violet asked.

"Sí. It es near mi casa y not many people know about it," Rosa explained happily.

"Nice," Bastion smiled.

"Yeah, it is," Tyson answered, still grinning. "It's sunny and warm, and we can swim out there! You guys would love it!"

"Luckies! The lake isn't very warm, even this time of the year. And it's always crowded," Violet said.

"Maybe when we return to Domino, we can all go to la playa before we have to go back to Duel Academy," Rosa offered.

"That'd be good, actually...We'll plan on that," Bastion agreed.

"Yeah," Tyson added, "and we'll have fun..."

"Oh, if you two haven't heard, Jaden now has a license to kill...er...drive," Bastion said. Violet snickered.

"Oh, he can drive now?" Rosa asked.

"Yes, he can," Bastion said. "Apparently, he passed well..."

"That doesn't surprise me...the Sarge always comes through!"

"Yeah. Oh, Chazz and Alexis got their licenses too," Violet added.

"Private Chazz is doin' okay?" Tyson asked. He'd been a little worried about Chazz considering the events of the summer.

"Yes, he's adjusting well...Apparently, he's been in therapy," Bastion explained. "Considering all he's been through, it's going to take time for him to sort it out..."

"It's easier with Alexis, Atticus, and their parents there to help him," Violet said, smiling.

"That is muy bien. I am glad that he is doing so well," Rosa replied.

"Alexis mentioned there are things he hasn't told her and Atticus, but their mum says that he'll them when he's ready and able to cope..."

"Poor Chazz," Tyson sighed.

"It's good that he has a real family now, but it is too bad that his brothers won't love him," Violet agreed, sighing. Yes, they all loathed the two for what they'd done. But Chazz had deserved love from his remaining two blood brothers.

"Yeah...they just didn't have it in 'em," Tyson sighed. "They just cut him off...But we're all gonna make it better for him, aren't we?"

"That we are," Bastion agreed.

"Sí. We will show him that many people still care for him," Rosa agreed.

"Yes...No one is alone in our group," Bastion asserted.

Violet smiled. "You're right...we're all here for each other, no matter what..."

"Yeah!" Tyson grinned. "So what are you two doin' today?"

"Just staying home and watching some movies. We didn't get much sleep last night," Violet explained, sighing.

"Takin' it easy? Well, that's good," Tyson said. The two couples talked on for twenty minutes, and then it was time to hang up. "Private Violet...you are one heck of a girl," Tyson said.

Violet smiled. "Thanks, Tyson..."

"Do not forget that whatever that cobarde says es not true," Rosa added.

"And we're goin' to be there for you no matter what," the Texas boy concluded.

"Well, everyone, enjoy your day at the beach," Bastion said with a smile.

"Yeah, have fun, you two," Violet added happily. Her mood was much lighter than it had been earlier.

"Bye, Violet and Bastion. We'll keep emailin' and callin', and we'll see you live at the end of August," Tyson asserted.

"Adios. Talk to you later," Rosa said, smiling.

"Good-bye, you two...have a good holiday," Bastion said, hanging up. As Tyson and Rosa ran out into the surf, the British boy hugged Violet again. "You see, darling? Everyone's here for you, even if we're spread across the globe..."

Violet leaned into the embrace, thoroughly comforted after talking with all of their friends. "I know that now...they've all shown that they're real friends, all through the summer. And...Bastion, you have to listen to them too..."

"I'll do my best, love," he promised. "So...what movie shall we watch first?"

Violet thought for a moment. "How about...My Neighbor Totoro?"

"All right, then," Bastion agreed. "That's quite relaxing, love...and we've both seen it before so if we fall asleep, it's no big deal..."

Violet nodded, smiling. "I'll go get it. You can go ahead and sit in the living room, okay?"

Bastion nodded and did as told. A few moments later, Violet returned with the DVD. "This is the first Miyazaki movie I ever saw," Bastion said. "I'm impressed they used the Fanning sisters for the re-dub."

"I think they portray the two girls really well," Violet replied as she slipped the disc into the DVD player.

Together, the couple cuddled on the couch as the upbeat opening came on. "This is...such a happy opening song," the boy murmured.

"Yeah...really upbeat and cute..."she murmured back.

They managed to stay awake about ten minutes into the film. A few hours later, Barbara and Haylee returned from their errands to find the DVD menu playing. "Mommy," Haylee whispered, coming into the living room and finding the sleeping teens, "I think Sissa and Bastion are sleeping..."

Barbara smiled softly. "I do believe you're right, Haylee. I guess they were just too tired to keep their eyes open..."

Together, mother and daughter grabbed blankets and covered the couple. "Have a good nap, Sissa and Bastion," Haylee whispered.

"Yes, get plenty of rest," Barbara whispered, kissing each teen softly on the forehead.

_Violet knows that her friends are there for her now…And they would come to her aid if needs be. So what is next for our heroes? Well, next time, we return to the Spanish village of Calientara on America's birthday, so tune in for "Día de la Independencia!" So please read, review and tune in next time! Thank you!_


	71. Dia de la Independencia!

Chapter LXXI: Día de la Independencia!

_Hello again, SLSF fans! We're glad to see you're still there and with us. We'll try to update with our usual speed. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing as always. We really appreciate it and are glad you're still with us in the 71__st__ chapter._

_Last time, Bastion and Violet made calls to Seattle and Calientara, Spain and got pep talks from their friends. And now, we come to the Fourth of July celebrations, starting in Calientara, Spain! Enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer: We also don't own any music by Jimi Hendrix!**_

The next few days passed, and everyone relaxed. In Domino, Chazz drove the family car and Alexis drove the family car. Jaden drove again without getting anyone nauseous and Atticus drove without freaking anyone out. In Ohio, Bastion and Violet went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Bastion actually did an interesting rendition of a song by the Bare-naked Ladies.

Tyson and Rosa did sightseeing around the Spanish countryside one afternoon and back in Seattle, Sy and Annie went to the Seattle Science Center and through the Experience Music Project and to the top of the Space Needle. And then, it was the Fourth of July. In Spain, Tyson awoke to Jimi Hendrix's edition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." "What in Sam Hill?!"

Rosa leaned over him, a large grin on her face. She was dressed in a red tank top, white khaki capris, and blue sandals. "Feliz Día de la Independencia, Ty-Ty!!!"

"Feliz Día de la Independencia!" her brothers all shouted, also dressed in red, white and blue.

"We decided, Tyson, that we would have a party to celebrate your nation's independence from England," Bruno said. He was wearing jeans and a muscle shirt with an American flag on the chest.

"Yes!" Jesus and Jacobo grinned, each wearing flag T-shirts and shorts.

Horatio was wearing a flag t-shirt of his own design. "We hope you like our party, Tyson...brother..."

Tyson was stunned. "You...you guys....Thank you so much, all of you! Rosa...were y'all plannin' this?"

"Yes. We started planning it the day after you mentioned it. So...we have planned a few activities for today," she explained, smiling.

"And first is breakfast!" added Juan. He was dressed in an outfit almost identical to Bruno's, though one could see he'd been trying to out-shine his elder brother.

"Breakfast sounds pretty good! You all don't know what this means to me," Tyson said, deeply moved.

"We do understand loving one's homeland...that is another thing we have in common," Bruno said gently.

"You just get dressed. We will be out in the kitchen," Juan stated, the five brothers leaving the couple alone.

Rosa sat on the bed beside him and placed a kiss on his cheek. "We may not be in the United States, but we can still celebrate today," she explained softly.

"Thank you, darlin'," he said, kissing back. He looked at the clock. "I'll be...It's only been Independence Day for one hour back in Texas...and it's just startin' for the Sarge and everybody else in Domino..."

"Well, I am sure that they will enjoy it. Now, why don't we enjoy ours?" replied Rosa, smiling happily.

"Let's do it...now what did I bring for the day?" he asked himself. He headed to his suitcase and pulled out a fresh pair of boxer shorts, blue jean shorts and a navy blue t-shirt with an American flag emblazoned on it. He'd taken a shower last night, so all he had to do now was get his clothes on and tie on his bandana. When he was done and had pulled on a pair of flip-flops, he slowly turned around as if to pass inspection. "Do I look okay?" he asked his fiancée.

"You look perfect!" she replied, hugging him. "Come on, breakfast should be ready by now," Rosa added as they left the room. They headed into the kitchen where Josephina had prepared a wonderful breakfast.

"Ah, good. I hope that this is good enough, Tyson..."greeted Josephina. There were three plates of food, each themed for the holiday. On the first plate was a pile of cinnamon pastries, colored red, white, or blue with powdered sugar. On the second was a fruit salad of strawberries, blueberries, and cherries, with a small bowl of sugar in the center. On the third and last plate was toasted bread with either raspberry jam, blueberry jam, or goat butter spread on it.

Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry's jaw dropped. "Uh...Josephina...that's an understatement...this isn't just good enough...It's awesome..."

"Mama is an artist in the kitchen," Horatio said reverently.

Josephina blushed, waving a hand. "Oh, stop. You kids always say that," she replied. So the whole family sat down to eat their specially-made holiday breakfast.

Everyone ate with gusto and soon, they were full. "That was delicious," Tyson said, feeling a bit like he usually did on Thanksgiving when his mama made him feel like a stuffed turkey.

"Mama is an excellent cook," Jesus said. "She is..."

"...the best!" Jacobo finished, grinning.

"But now Papa will have his turn," stated Juan.

Rosa smiled. "Ty-Ty, we are going to a bullfight! There will be horse riders and performers and many other things."

"A bullfight? Really? I've never been to one," Tyson said, awed.

"Then you are in for a treat, Tyson," Bruno said.

"We will go to a bullfight and you will see some things about Spain that tourists seldom do," Horatio grinned. "I believe that you will see a difference between Spain and Mexico..."

"Yeah," Tyson agreed.

"Well, let us go, then!" exclaimed Jose, just as excited.

An hour later, the group was heading to the town's bull-fighting coliseum. "Wow," Tyson said, looking up. He was amazed by the huge crowd, the colorful costumes and the smells of different treats. "This is kinda like the Fourth of July in San Antonio," he said to Rosa.

"That makes sense, since it is influenced by our culture," she replied. Having been to the stadium many times—and it being a small town—quite a few people greeted the Jimenezes. After about ten minutes they were finally able to sit down, Jose, Bruno, and Juan all having gone to the locker room to change into costume.

"Jose decided that he wanted his boys to fight with him instead of his usual picadors," explained Josephina.

"Oh, wow...This is gonna be great," Tyson said. "I'll finally see your daddy fightin'!" he said, looking excitedly at Rosa.

Jesus and Jacobo grinned. "We wish to wrestle at some point for you..." Jesus began.

"...and show you the other side of fighting!" Jacobo finished. Then, a trumpet sounded, and the crowd cheered as the parade of matadors and their assistants entered the arena. Band music played as they all saluted the mayor sitting at the top of the stadium. Jose and his sons could be seen on the far left. Each of the matadors wore fine costumes of "lights", shimmering with gold and silver threads. The crowd then quieted as a gate opened.

"Here comes the bull," whispered Rosa.

And Tyson beheld one of the biggest, meanest bulls he'd ever seen. "Holy smokes! That is one mean-lookin' bull!" he breathed.

The bull was as large as two full-grown men, and covered in muscle. A gold ring hung from its snout, the matador on the far right stepping forward. He wore a magenta and gold dress cape, though it was quickly pulled off. The man tested the bull a few times, in true cape-waving matador fashion. The other matadors watched, carefully examining the bull. After a few more moments, Jose stepped forward and taunted the bull with his cape. "Bull, oh bull!!" Obviously, the bull was angry and charged, only inches away from Jose as it ran past. The crowd cheered, shouting "El Diablo". "Go Papi!!" yelled Rosa.

"GO JOSE!" Tyson yelled, cheering. "VIVA EL DIABLO!"

After a few more runs, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Then, Bruno and Juan entered the main arena riding padded horses with blindfolds. "Oy, oy! You stupid bull!!" shouted Juan, waving his wooden lance.

The bull became incensed and charged the horses. They dodged out of the way just in time, and Bruno used a modified wooden lance to render the bull unconscious. The wooden lance, originally designed to kill had been changed so a special electric shock knocked the bull out. "It looks like a kill," Horatio explained, "but it is quite humane. The bull is unconscious and will be dragged out of the arena."

"That's good," Tyson answered.

"I am glad they stopped the killing. Though they will still do it in larger cities sometimes," added Rosa, frowning. They watched two more bull fights follow the same process, though the younger matadors and picadors had some trouble. The second matador ended up getting head-butted by the bull, while the third fight's picadors charged into each other on accident.

Tyson laughed, watching. "That's like when I did the sheep rodeos when I was a little guy!" he grinned.

Rosa couldn't help but laugh a little. "You rode...a sheep?? That is..." began Jesus.

"Very hilarious!" Jacobo finished and the twins doubled over laughing.

Horatio grinned and asked, "Why would you ride a sheep?"

"Because the horses are too big when you're five," Tyson said, blushing.

Rosa grinned and kissed him, though it was quick. "I do not care. He is still very strong," she stated. The bull fight had officially ended, and Jose stood in the center of the arena. Juan and Bruno were beside him, while the losing matadors and their two picadors stood to either side. The crowd gave a standing ovation to them all, some throwing Spanish roses into the arena as tokens of affection or bravery. "The bullfight is over. But now come the performers," explained Josephina happily. The matadors and picadors left, as men in decorated costumes rode in on brilliant white steeds.

Tyson grinned, watching the pageantry of hundreds of years. "Wow..."

The horses were well-trained, and danced around each other without tripping once. Every now and then the riders would join in and perform acrobatics, and the crowd would cheer. By the time everything was over, it was already time for lunch. "So...Tyson, did you enjoy it?" asked Jose. He, Juan and Bruno had just gotten back from the locker room.

"That was amazin'! The rodeos aren't like that back home. This is great!"

"We're glad..." Jesus began.

"...that you enjoyed it! Now, can we have lunch??" asked Jacobo.

Josephina nodded as they all stood. "Yes, we can eat some of the food sold outside of the arena."

"Arena food! YEE-HAW!" Tyson yelled out happily, drawing looks from some of the townspeople.

"He's from the United States," Horatio called out.

Some people shrugged it off, while a few walked off looking a little angry. Rosa sighed. "Some people do not like tourists," she explained as they walked.

"It's all right...I guess I'm too much of a Texas boy," Tyson answered, blushing.

"No...just think nothing of it," Horatio soothed.

"We would not have you..." Jesus began.

"Thinking you are unwelcome here! Do not worry; they are just people who are wary of tourists because they have seen them at their worst," finished Jacobo, sweat-dropping. By now they'd made it outside, where a few vendors lined the streets. "Ty-Ty, have you ever tried pasteles en hoja?" asked Rosa.

"No, I haven't," Tyson said. "But I'd love to...what are they?"

"It's a food from the Dominican Republic...well, it's better if you try it first," she replied. They got enough for all of them, which looked like small green packages tied with string. "You untie it and eat the contents with a spoon. See?" She untied the leaf covering to reveal a colorful mixture of corn, meat, and spices.

Tyson did, and grinned. "This is great!" he said delightedly. "I'm gonna have to let out my uniforms at school at this rate!" Rosa giggled. They kept walking as they ate, and now stopped to observe a street performer juggling chickens. "Wow...Isn't that a little...hazardous?" Tyson wondered, impressed by the juggling.

"Not as hazardous as that," replied Juan, pointing. A few feet away stood a sword swallower, who already held three in his mouth.

"Yes. Those aren't exactly dull or fake," added Jose.

"Ouch," Tyson said, not particularly wanting to think about it.

"It's hazardous," Jesus and Jacobo said.

"Yes," Horatio added. "People can be harmed." Just then, the chicken juggler had a hazard that Tyson imagined. A bird laid an egg.

Josephina smiled. "My boys always want to try dangerous things. Such as wrestling. We are going to see Jacobo and Jesus in a tag-team match now," she explained.

Rosa sighed. "Wait until you see those two in the ring; It's so dumb."

"HEY!" the twins shouted. "We'll show you, sis! It's not dumb!"

She smirked. "Sure you are not. We will see soon enough, now won't we?" Rosa replied as the group continued walking.

Jacobo was frowning, arms crossed over his chest. "It's not dumb. It's..."he began.

"Brilliant," Jesus concluded.

"I like wrestlin'. And I know that here it ain't fake," Tyson grinned.

It didn't take the group long to reach the much smaller wrestling arena, which was indoors rather than outdoors. They entered, walking into a well-lit stadium surrounded by benches for spectators. In the center was a ring much like the one Jose had drawn for the wrestling match back in Texas. "We will go change," Jacobo said as he and his brother headed for the locker room.

"Do they wear masks?" Tyson asked. He knew in Mexican wrestling that combatants wore masks, but he wasn't sure about Spanish wrestling.

"Yes. It's the traditional way," replied Rosa. They took their seats in the half-filled stands, while the twins went to change in the locker room.

"Okay," Tyson said. "They're pretty competitive, aren't they?"

"You mean the twins?" asked Josephina.

"Yeah," Tyson answered. "I guess all the guys seem pretty competitive. I'm gettin' used to it."

"They get it from their father," she explained, smiling.

Then, the lights dimmed slightly, and a man walked to the center ring with a microphone. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen!" he greeted. The man explained that this was a tag-team fight, featuring two of the best tag-teams in Spain. "Los Gemelos" were the twins, and their opponents were named "Los Tauros". The two teams emerged, wearing the sequined garb of wrestlers. The twins wore identical clothing; navy blue masks and outfits. The other team wore similar outfits and masks in a shade of brown, with horns attached to their masks. "Fight on!!!" shouted the man, quickly getting out of the ring.

"Go, Los Gemelos!" yelled Rosa as the fighting began.

"Go, Los Gemalos!" Tyson cheered along with her. "Get those varmints! Uh...was that okay?" he asked, blushing.

Rosa giggled. "I do not think anyone heard you, Ty-Ty. But don't worry..." Meanwhile, in the ring, Jacobo was taunting his opponent. The angry man charged much like a bull would, and the lithe Jacobo easily dodged. He then grabbed the man's arm and twisted it behind his back, throwing him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Jesus mirrored his brother's motions, taunting his own opponent. "You stupid dummy! You're..." And he used a term that questioned the opponent's lifestyle choices. The opponent then used some questionable language in response to the insult.

"Oy, oy! It's not necessary to use that language!!" Jacobo yelled. He was then promptly yanked to the ground by the opponent he'd recently thrown.

Rosa groaned. "I told you..."

The Tauro that had cussed charged Jesus. "No one calls me that!"

Jesus easily sidestepped the attack and got his opponent in a headlock. "I just did... "

Jacobo had been wrestling with his opponent on the ground, delivering a quick head-butt to momentarily daze him. "Dummy!!" he yelled. After that he was thrown off, and both stood to glare at each other.

"Uh...oh...they could so not say that in the States," Tyson said. He'd heard different insults in different languages and was a little shocked at what Jacobo and Jesus had used against their opponents.

"Wrestling is one of the competitions where the fighters can say anything," Rosa explained. Jacobo and his opponent were now grappling near the edge of the ring, each trying to throw the other out of it.

"Ah, okay," Tyson said. "This is great!"

Jesus, meanwhile, had just gotten a good grip on his opponent and was spinning him around in the air. "Enjoy the spin cycle, dummy!"

Jacobo threw his opponent at the same moment Jesus released his, sending both flying out of the ring and into each other. "The winners! Los Gemelos; Jesus and Jacobo Jimenez!!" yelled the referee.

"We are the champions!!!" the twins yelled.

Suddenly, Jacobo realized something. "Oy, oy. Why did he say your name first??" he asked, frowning at his twin.

"I am the elder brother is why," Jesus answered, glaring at his brother.

"Uh-oh," Tyson said, noticing the exchange.

"Every time," muttered Rosa, annoyed.

"So? I'm the best wrestler! My name should be said first!!" Jacobo countered, gritting his teeth angrily.

"No, I'm the best wrestler!" Jesus growled. The announcer moved out of the way fast. "Do you want to fight, little brother?"

That did it. Jacobo hated when Jesus had the nerve to call him "little brother", even if it was true. "YES!!" he yelled, tackling Jesus. Every member of the Jimenez family showed some sign of expected aggravation.

Tyson, for his part, sweat-dropped. "Uh...can any hombre interfere in a fight like that?" he asked Rosa.

"Since it is not a regulation match, then yes," Rosa replied, not really catching what he was asking permission for.

Tyson got up and ran down to the ring. "You two wanna fight? Well, I'm joinin' you!"

"What?" Jesus asked as Tyson jumped into the ring.

"An American?!" the announcer yelped as Tyson joined the fray.

Rosa's jaw dropped in shock. "Ty-Ty! What are you doing?!" she called.

Jacobo, meanwhile, was now grinning. "You may have beaten our father, but you will not defeat us!"

"Oh yeah?" Tyson shouted.

"Yeah," Jesus shouted back.

"I doubt it!" the American boy grated.

Rosa sighed, a vein popping out on her forehead in anger and annoyance. She stood, walking deliberately down the stairs and into the arena. Then, before the boys could say anything, she promptly punched each of them on the head. "Quit fooling around and being dummies! Oh, Lord..."

Tyson, Jesus and Jacobo each went down. "Man down," Tyson said weakly.

"Sis, you are the champion," Jesus groaned.

"Yeah...you have one mean punch," added Jacobo.

The referee blinked, scratching his head for a moment before raising her arm. "This girl is the champion!" The amused crowd went so far as to cheer.

"That's my love," Tyson said, getting up, picking up Rosa and twirling her around the ring in joy. Rosa was severely blushing by this point, but was none the less glad. She hugged Tyson and kissed him, the twins having returned to the locker room as the crowd dispersed.

"I think I like losin' to you, Spanish Rose," Tyson whispered in her ear lovingly. "Oh, I forgot to give somethin' to you in Texas," he said, "but I left it back at the house!"

Rosa sighed, but smiled. "Don't worry, Ty-Ty. Maybe we can get it when we go back."

"Yeah...maybe it's a good idea that I didn't bring it, though...it's kinda valuable..."

"What do you mean?"she asked, blinking.

"Well..." Tyson flushed. "When we go back, I'll give it to you...I just hope you like it..."

"Okay," she replied.

"Rosa! Tyson!! Come, or we will miss the best part!" called Josephina near the entrance.

"Comin', Josephina!" he called. "It's okay! Here, let me help you outta the ring," he added to Rosa, climbing out of the ring and offering her his arms.

"I can do it myself," Rosa muttered. She jumped over the ring's barrier, but ended up falling onto Tyson.

"Uff!" Tyson groaned as the wind was knocked out of him. "Man down..."

"You say that...too much," groaned Rosa, on top of him.

In a moment, Josephina was standing over them. "Do you two want to see fireworks or no??"

"Uh...yeah...we'd love to," Tyson answered, from under his fiancée.

"Well then come on!" she replied, walking back to the entrance.

Rosa sweat-dropped and stood, helping Tyson to his feet. "We were saving the fireworks for last."

"Fireworks? Wow," Tyson said eagerly. "You okay, darlin'?" he asked his love.

"Yes," she replied, grinning sheepishly.

Tyson's eyes went wide. "How long until they're scheduled to go off?"

"Soon. That is why we should hurry." Rosa answered. They exited the arena, finding it to be early evening.

"So where to, Spanish Rose?" he asked.

"Back to my house; it has the best view." With that, the group returned home just in time to see the sun set over the ocean. The family gave the couple some room, and Tyson and Rosa were lying down in the field by the house.

Tyson got up quickly and said to Rosa, "I'll be right back!"

She blinked. "Uh, okay!"

Tyson ran fast. One thing he was glad he was able to do was run quickly. He currently held the academy record for the men's mile run and ran the distance he needed to run now quickly. He got into his room and went to his suitcase, pulled out a little red velvet box with a rose embossed on the case and ran back to his love. "I'm back," he said, just a little out of breath.

"That was fast. Where did you go?" Rosa asked curiously.

"Back to the house. I had to get somethin', but let's enjoy the show," he answered.

"All right..." And so, as the night sky grew darker, fireworks flew across the stars in an array of colors.

"Oh, wow! Does this happen every night after a bullfight?" he wondered, his arm around her.

"Yes, but my father requested more than usual. And in red, white and blue."

And Tyson noticed. "So this was partly for me?"

"I wanted you to feel a little more at home," she replied, leaning into him.

"I do...darlin'..." Tyson gently kissed her.

She deepened the kiss, and the two pulled apart in time to see the last batch of fireworks. They ended up spelling out "Rosa & Tyson", causing her to blush. "Papi or my brothers did this..."

"What a finale...but...I have something for you..." He pulled out the box from his pocket and held it out to her.

"Oh? Ty-Ty, what's this??" Rosa asked as she took the small box.

"You said you liked rubies and earrings," he answered softly. She looked at him quizzically and opened the box. Inside was a pair of ruby earrings. But they weren't simply rubies. The earrings were designed in the shape of roses.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, Ty-Ty...they're beautiful," Rosa whispered happily.

"Not as beautiful as you, Rosadina Terelina Rodriguez-Jimenez," Tyson whispered back. She blushed, and hugged him. Rosa then reached up to press her lips against his in a loving embrace. Tyson kissed back, and everything was good.

_So the Fourth of July in Spain was fun! No chaos. So next time, we join Bastion and the Haverbrook family in South Royalton, Ohio in "Bastion, Blossoms and Bottle Rockets!" See you next time! Until then, please read and review! Thank you!_


	72. Bastion, Blossoms and Bottle Rockets

Chapter LXXII: Bastion, Blossoms and Bottle Rockets

_Hello again, everyone and welcome back to the Fourth of July celebrations of "Summer Love, Summer Fears." We hope you enjoy our heroes' celebrations and enjoy this taste of summer on the cusp of winter. Thank you again for your reviews, those of you who did. And for those of you who are reading, we do love hearing from you, so please review. We do respond gladly. _

_No need for a recap this time, and we assume you've read and understood our previous disclaimers, so a warning. __**Bastion may act a bit unusual here, as he's channeling a certain amount of impishness and there are some of us nerds out there that like to pretend we're breaking the rules when we're really not. So if Bastion seems a little OOC, sorry about that.**_

_**Warning: Use of fireworks in this chapter. Please remember to use fireworks responsibly if they're legal where you live.**_

As Tyson and Rosa were enjoying lunch after the bull fight, Bastion woke up in Violet's bedroom in Ohio. He was pleasantly warm and happy and he didn't want to move. Violet was still asleep by his side, arms wrapped around his torso. The house was rather quiet, the Haverbrooks likely still asleep. Bastion looked over at the alarm clock on Violet's nightstand. 'Hmmm...Only 20 minutes to 7...perhaps I'll go back to sleep for a bit...' He gently kept his arms around Violet and fell back to sleep.

By nine o'clock, Barbara Haverbrook had awakened, the first of the Haverbrooks to do so. She got out of bed and made her way downstairs, glancing into Violet's room as she walked past it. However, she quickly backtracked to poke her head inside. "Violet, what are you doing?" she whispered.

Violet was currently sitting beside Bastion's sleeping form, staring at him with a small smile. At the question, she nearly jumped, but managed to stop herself. "N-Nothing..."

Bastion took this moment to wake up. "Er...good morning, darling...Is something the matter?" he asked curiously.

Violet blushed, Barbara finding this a good time to leave. "No...I, uh," she mumbled, embarrassed. 'He's just so...cute when he sleeps,' she thought.

Bastion sat up. "I awoke earlier, darling, and I didn't wish to disturb you...you look so...beautiful when you're asleep..."

Violet's blush increased at the compliment, and allowed her to reply. "That's what I thought about you," she mumbled.

"Oh...were you watching me sleep?"

"Maybe..." At this point her gaze turned mischievous rather than embarrassed.

"If you were," Bastion said, "it's all right..." He had a small smile on his face.

"That's good! You know what today is, don't you?" she asked, bouncing slightly.

"Oh...yes, it's Independence Day, isn't it? I'm looking forward to it!"

"Yeah! But first, breakfast!!" Violet replied, jumping off of the bed.

Bastion, jolted by the jump, fell off the bed. And then, Haylee came tearing into the room. "BASTION! HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!"

He'd stood up and now caught Haylee easily. "Happy Independence Day to you, Haylee."

Bobby poked his head into the room, carrying a severe case of "bed head." "Hey, you guys mind keeping it down? It's WAY too early..."

"Oh, terribly sorry, Bobby," Bastion apologized.

"Sorry, Bobby," Haylee apologized, going and hugging her brother. "IT'S THE FOURTH OF JULY!!! YAY!!!"

Bobby half-sighed, half-yawned at this, placing a hand on her head. "Yeah, yeah. No way I'm getting back to sleep now," he replied.

"Oh, like you don't wake me up! Or at least you used to!!" countered Violet.

Alan popped his head in the room. "Hey, kids. Happy Fourth!"

"Thanks, Daddy!" Haylee grinned, tackle-hugging her father.

"Thank you, Alan!" Bastion added. "I'm afraid I don't know your family tradition, so you'll all have to show me. Are fireworks legal here?" And then he had another thought. "Oh, and is there an Indian reservation around here?"

"Of course fireworks are allowed!" replied Violet, as if the answer was obvious.

"I think there might be one about half a mile away...but why do you ask?" Bobby explained, confused.

"I've always wanted to try M-80s," Bastion answered, a mischievous glint in his gray eyes. "And bottle rockets..."

"You've never used bottle rockets or M-80s?" Alan asked.

"Er...no," Bastion answered. "Bottle rockets and M-80s are illegal in Domino, you see."

"Man, you have NO idea what you've been missing! We launch about every firework type we can get our hands on after the barbecue!!" explained Bobby, grinning.

"Yup! From snakes to smoke bombs to Roman candles," added Violet excitedly.

"Hmmm...as Tyson would say, yee-hah," Bastion said.

Alan clapped him on the shoulder, hard. "That's the spirit! Bastion, we'll have a lot of fun!"

"Yeah! But let's have breakfast first," repeated Violet.

"I second the motion," replied Bobby. So, the group of five headed into the kitchen, greeted by the smell of French toast and bacon.

"Mmmm...I smell French toast," Bastion said. "Smells delightful..."

"FRENCH TOAST!!!" Haylee shouted happily.

"Kids," Alan warned.

The three Haverbrook children gave their father the most convincingly innocent looks they could muster—it worked especially well with Haylee. "Oh, Al, they're just hungry. Go ahead and eat up, kids. There's plenty to go around," stated Barbara, smiling.

And so everyone ate quickly. "Er," Bastion began. "What does the family do today? Besides lighting off fireworks and having a barbeque, I mean?"

"Well, that's mostly what our day consists of, Bastion. We spend the first half of the day making the necessary preparations and then have a party. There's swimming and games, and Al cooks the food outside on a grill. After that, we set off day fireworks and at night do the ones that require darkness," explained Barbara.

"Bastion...do you like sparklers?" Haylee asked.

"Yes, I do, Haylee. Do you spell your name with them?" Bastion asked curiously.

Haylee nodded eagerly. "We'll do it together, okay?"

"Okay," Bastion agreed, smiling.

Alan smiled at Bastion. "I'll have to get pictures of that, young man...Now, if you get ready quick enough, you and I can go if it's that important to you..."

"Violet...do you want to go with us?" Bastion asked.

Violet grinned. "Sure! I love going there!!" she replied.

"I'll stay here with Mom and help get ready for the party," stated Bobby.

"Me, too!" Haylee added.

"This...isn't too much trouble is it?" Bastion wondered.

"Oh, no," Alan answered. "It's just a couple of minutes away..."

"Come on! We have to get changed!!" exclaimed Violet excitedly. She ran to her room, and would probably be ready in under three minutes.

Bastion headed up to the room and got his outfit on quickly as well. "Violet darling?"

"Yeah, Bastion-baby?" Violet replied, in the middle of brushing out her hair.

"How do you manage to get dressed so quickly? My mum always seems to take forever..."

"I can move like lightning when I want to! Haven't you noticed?" she asked, putting her hair up. Violet was wearing a navy blue T-shirt, white shorts, and white tennis shoes with red laces. "Patriotic, no?"

"Very...And you look adorable as usual..." Bastion was in a red t-shirt, navy blue shorts and white tennis shoes. "Good?" he asked.

"Yup! And you look handsome as usual," Violet countered, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, darling..."

They headed down to the car where Violet's father was waiting. "You kids ready?" Alan asked.

Bastion smiled. "I have money to burn. This is going to be incredible!"

Violet couldn't help but laugh as they got in. "Geez, Bastion-baby. I had no idea you could be so...well, mischievous!"

"Darling, believe it or not...this is something I have always wanted to do," Bastion said.

"You've always wanted to get bottle rockets?" Alan asked as they drove.

"You bet!" the boy answered. "I can pretend it's illegal, but I know it isn't..." Bastion blushed. "It's silly..."

Violet grinned and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Bastion-baby. If I grew up without that stuff, I'd want to get them, too! Even if it wasn't illegal, I'd feel like I was breaking the rules."

"Oh...good...I've always wondered if that wasn't a bit...strange...People at Einstein, Hawking, and even Duel Academy found it unusual..."

"We all want to break the rules at some time or another, Bastion. It's not weird," Alan grinned.

She smirked. "You mean like the time you dressed up your pig for dissection, Dad?"

Alan grinned, sweat-dropping. "Violet told me about that," Bastion grinned as they drove up to the Indian reservation stands. Bastion hopped out of the car and went quite mad buying the fireworks he'd always dreamed of.

Violet sweat-dropped, eyes a little wide at Bastion's apparent frenzy. While he was busy with that, she decided to visit a place she hadn't had the courage to visit in a long time. Violet walked about a yard further into the reservation, then turned left and walked for a few feet before coming to a stop in front of a large oak. "Now where is it?" she murmured.

Bastion, done with his manic shopping spree, placed his purchase in the car. "Alan, where's Violet?" he asked, worried.

"Oh, there she is...over by that oak tree," Alan said, gesturing.

Bastion headed over. "Darling?" he called, coming over to her.

Violet jumped, having been focused on her search of the tree's trunk. "Oh! Bastion-baby, I didn't hear you come over. Uh, I was just...looking for something," she mumbled. Her eyes returned to the large trunk of the tree, as she made her way around it. 'Where is it??' she wondered.

"What are you looking for, darling?" he asked. "You look...worried..."

"Well, you see, I—oh! There…there it is..." She quieted, a frown coming over her features. In front of her, carved into the trunk of the tree were the words "Violet & Mike" surrounded by a heart.

Bastion saw and held her close. "Who carved this into the tree?" he asked softly.

"Mike did...back when I thought..." Violet bit her bottom lip, and broke away slightly to reach down and pick up a sharp rock. "He used this...I wanted to make things right..."

"What are you going to do, darling?" he asked. "I'm here..." She answered his question with action rather than words, reaching up to scratch out Mike's name. Violet then wrote Bastion's name under it, though it took some effort to make the letters.

Bastion placed his hand with hers. "May I help you?" he asked gently. Violet nodded, finding this harder than she expected it to be. Together, they managed to finish his name, which easily stood out over Mike's.

"Are you all right, Violet love?" Bastion asked when they were done.

Violet was a little shaken, having had the memory of the past event run through her mind. However, she also felt some more of the heavy weight lift off of her chest. "Yeah, I'm okay...we should probably get back now..."

He gently pulled her into a hug. "Oh, darling..." And then they walked back to the car where Alan was waiting.

"Sorry we made you wait, Dad," Violet said as they got into the car.

Alan had watched them silently. "Honey, it's okay...you just took back something else today...you're getting your independence back..."

She wondered if that was what the feeling she'd felt was, regaining her independence. 'Talk about irony...gaining some independence on Independence Day,' she thought.

Bastion opened the car door for her and climbed in after her. "Violet, your dad's right...you are winning against him...Remember what Annie told you?"

"Yeah...that I just had to believe in myself and remember who really loved me..."

"And you've just done that...I love you..." Bastion felt he couldn't say it enough.

"And I love you too, honey," Alan added as they began the short drive back.

"I know...and I love you both, too," she replied, smiling.

They returned home and helped Violet's mom, Haylee and Bobby with the preparations. "What can I do to help?" Bastion wondered.

"Well, can you blow up balloons?" asked Violet.

Bastion nodded. "Of course..." And he quickly began blowing them up. "Just tell me how many you need."

"Fifteen's good!" Violet replied as she hung red, white, and blue streamers around the backyard fence. The barbecue was being held in the pool area, which Alan was busy cleaning up.

Bastion blew up the balloons and then looked for something else to do. "Alan, can I give you a hand?" he asked.

"Sure," the older man answered, handing him a pool skimmer. "You know how to swim?"

"Yes, I do...I've had lessons...Mum and Dad insisted."

Bobby grinned. "We got lucky with Violet. She's like a fish! Learned how to swim on her own; dog paddle, front stroke, backstroke, butterfly stroke, diving," he explained.

Violet stuck out her tongue at him. "You're so jealous. All you can do is float, so you can't show-off for all of the 'cute chicks in bikinis on the beach,'" she teased.

Bastion snickered. "Bobby...you should've spent more time with Atticus Rhodes when we were in Domino...he can't resist that, either." Alan started to laugh.

Barbara sighed. "All those 'chicks', and he still hasn't found a date even. While his sister—younger by eight years—is already engaged," she stated, joining in.

"Aw, come on, Mom! I'm working on it!! It's hard running a business and trying to hook-up at the same time," Bobby replied.

"Barb, honey, he will find someone...eventually," Alan said with confidence.

"Truth to tell, I didn't expect to get engaged this young...most people don't get engaged until their twenties anymore," Bastion observed.

"I wouldn't have minded waiting until then, so long as you still proposed," replied Violet.

Bastion blushed. "I couldn't wait, darling..." The entire family had the place cleaned up and then Alan worked on getting the barbeque going so it would be hot enough for what came next. This was the chance for everyone else to light off some fireworks.

"How about we try some bottle rockets, Bastion-baby?" offered Violet.

Bastion got a look on his face that surprised Violet. He never ever looked this naughty. "Yes...yes please!"

She blinked, sweat-dropping. "Okay, then."

Violet and Bobby, having done this before, set up three bottle rockets on a large stump in the front yard. "Wanna light one, Bastion?" he asked.

Bastion nodded eagerly. "Yes, thank you, Bobby," he answered. "Do I use a match or a punk?" He referred, of course, to a soft wooden stick that was lit and allowed to smolder and used to light fuses.

"Uh, we use a lighter," the older young man replied, blinking. They'd always gotten fireworks with longer fuses so that they could each light one.

"All right, then..." Bastion took the lighter and lit off a bottle rocket. It went off within a matter of seconds and whistled as it went up into the air. "Wow!" he exclaimed, delighted.

"My turn!" shouted Violet. She took the lighter and lit the second, Bobby quickly lighting the third. Both launched at the same time and collided, causing sparks to fly.

"WOOOT!!!" yelled the siblings.

Bastion was delighted. "Why are these things illegal in most parts of California?" he wondered aloud. "They don't seem like they could do much harm..."

Violet shrugged. "I have no idea, Bastion-baby," she replied. Then, both siblings got a mischievous glint in their eyes.

"Wanna light this bad boy??" asked Bobby. They pulled out a string of firecrackers with one hundred balls, meaning a series of one hundred small explosions.

Bastion grinned. "You two are bloody rubbing off on me...yes...I would..." He lit the fuse. All three ran until they were a safe distance away, and then the fuse hit the first ball. The series of explosions occurred, sounding almost like gunfire and lighting up the area. Bastion was grinning like a child of five who's found the most delightful of toys. "That was BLOODY BRILLIANT!!"

Violet was really fired up now, and put her energy into a handstand. "I LOVE FIREWORKS!!!" she yelled.

Bobby reached into a bag and pulled out a handful of small, round, multi-colored balls. "Smoke bombs, anyone?"

"Oh, I know these!" Bastion answered. "Have you two ever taken one of these and those blasting bombs and made a volcano?"

"Nope," Violet replied, straightening.

"How do you do it?" asked Bobby curiously.

"Do you have a sandbox handy?" the teen boy asked.

"Yup!" Violet walked over and dragged out a turtle sandbox, half-buried by undergrowth. "It hasn't been used in a while, but the sand should still be good."

"Excellent. We need to make a huge pile of sand and then make a hole in the top..."

"All right." Violet quickly piled up the sand, and made a groove in the top like a volcano crater.

Bastion brought a blast bomb which looks like a smoke bomb but is made of plastic and makes pops when it goes off and a blue smoke bomb and tied the two together. "All right, then...we put these in the crater and light them! Violet, darling, would you do the honors?" he asked, handing her the lighter.

"Sure!" She lit the fuse and they stood back, watching as the volcano popped and sputtered bright blue smoke.

"I did this back in Domino when I was younger...haven't done it in ages," Bastion said.

"I WANNA DO IT!" Haylee yelled, coming to the sandbox. "Can I, Sissa? Can I, Bobby?"

The siblings glanced at each other, then Violet ran over to the fence. "Mom! Dad! Can Haylee use the lighter to start a smoke bomb volcano??"

"A WHAT?" Alan yelled back.

"A smoke bomb volcano, Alan!" Bastion called back. He jogged over to the fence and explained to Alan and Barbara.

"Barb, what do you think?" the man asked his wife.

"Well...I'm fine with Haylee setting it up, but I think she's too young to use a lighter," she replied.

"Would it be all right if I held the lighter with Haylee?" Bastion asked, noticing Haylee curling her lip into a pout.

Barbara thought for a few moments, then sighed. "All right, all right. But just this once..."

Bastion helped Haylee set up the volcano and got the lighter lit. "Here, Haylee, I'll hold it with you..."

"Okay, Bastion," she said, holding the lighter with him. They lit the fuse and moved away. Haylee was delighted with the result. "Thanks, Bastion," she squealed, giving him a big hug.

"No problem, Haylee..."

"We have one more type of daytime firework that should interest you, Bastion-baby. Saturn missiles," stated Violet, grinning.

"Saturn Missiles? What are those?" Bastion wondered.

"Watch and learn, Bastion!" replied Bobby. He sat down a metal box and lit the fuse, taking a few steps back. Every few seconds a charge in the box went off, emitting a high-pitched whine before recoiling like a gun might.

"Wow...I've never seen these!" Bastion's eyes were wide. "I like them!"

"VIOLET-ANI!!!" shouted a high-pitched voice. Seconds later, the short, pink-haired form that was Cherri tackle-hugged Violet to the ground.

"Cherri-ani! You're here, yay!!" yelled Violet happily.

"Cherri, be careful. I don't want you getting hurt," began a stern yet gentle voice. A slim woman who looked to be in her late thirties walked over, sporting Cherri's bright pink hair. Instead of a ponytail, it was in a bun, and kind, yet worried blue eyes took in the scene.

Bastion, still glowing from the excitement of the fireworks, stood up. "Oh, hello, Cherri! And hello, my name is Bastion Misawa, pleasure to meet you, Mrs. ..?"

"Oh, so you're the charming young man Cherri's been telling me so much about. I'm her mother, Sakura Blossom. A pleasure to meet you," she greeted, smiling.

"Thank you, Mrs. Blossom. Sakura...hmmm, that means 'cherry' in Japanese. Am I correct that part of your ancestry is Japanese?"

"Actually, no. A lot of people ask that. My parents were very explorational and fascinated by other cultures. So, they decided to give me a unique Japanese name," she explained.

"It's one of the reasons she named me Cherri!" shouted Cherri, both girls having stood.

"Ah...well, your daughter is quite fun and I'm glad you each returned from Canada," Bastion said politely. "So...if I may ask, what brings you back to South Royalton?"

Both women immediately quieted at the question, and Sakura was about to offer some form of a bad excuse when she was saved. "Sakura! Cherri! You two are just in time, the food's ready," greeted Barbara happily.

Bastion sensed the tension. "Oh, terribly sorry. I shouldn't have asked..." He flushed slightly.

Bastion hadn't noticed, but only he and Sakura were left. Bobby, Violet, Haylee, and Cherri had made a bee-line for the food by the pool. "Don't worry, you didn't know. Maybe...if you ask, Violet may tell you something about the matter. But let's not dwell on the past, today we should have fun," explained Sakura.

"All right...Again, sorry, Sakura," Bastion said. "Anyway, we had fun together the other day at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...I didn't expect Cherri to do such an excellent impression of KISS...She and Violet had me in stitches..."

"Not literally, I hope," Alan said, half jokingly.

By now they were all sitting at the table outside, eating. "Nope. But I told you no one can resist our KISS impression!" replied Violet, grinning.

Cherri giggled. "B-B's singing wasn't all that bad, either," she stated.

"B-B?" asked Bobby, blinking.

"British Bastion!" she replied, grinning.

Sakura sighed. "She has to give everyone a nickname."

Bastion started to laugh. "Oh, I can hear Simon Cowell now...what the bloody...heck...was that?" He kept his language for Haylee's benefit. Otherwise he would've done the quote as was. "I am no Sir Paul McCartney, that's for certain."

"He didn't exactly like the school's rendition of 'My Heart Will Go On', did he?" asked Violet, smiling.

"Er...did he actually hear it?" Bastion wondered. Everyone looked at Violet curiously at her declaration. "Hmmm..." Bastion noticed his fiancée beginning to blush and rescued her. "I believe I heard something about Paula Abdul being injured by a pink boomerang...He probably heard us...we were that loud..."

"Wouldn't surprise me...with Violet's lungs," Alan grinned.

"Hey! Everyone in this family is loud," Violet replied, pouting. By now they'd finished eating, but had to wait to go swimming.

"Hey, how long do we have to wait again?" asked Bobby.

"I heard half an hour, but Dad says it's an old wives' tale," Bastion offered.

"I've heard both of those," Alan said, smiling.

"Is fifteen minutes enough? I really wanna go swimming!" stated Violet.

Bastion nodded. "If it isn't, I'm taking the risk right with you, Violet, darling."

Fifteen minutes later, all five kids were excited to get in the pool. "Glad I wore my bathing suit under my clothes!" shouted Violet.

"Me, too! Me, too!!" added Cherri.

Bobby sweat-dropped. "I...may have worn my swim trunks under these..."

Bastion charged into the house and quickly changed into his red swim trunks. "Ready," he said cheerfully, coming back out to the pool. It was a hot day and perfect for swimming. By the time he was back outside, the others were out of their clothes. Bobby was wearing navy blue swim trunks and Cherri was wearing a dark magenta one piece suit. Violet waved to Bastion from her spot on the diving board, wearing a white, halter-top bikini. Bastion, now used to Violet's pretty figure, just looked. He drew in a breath, then called, "Darling, you look absolutely lovely."

Violet blushed, and Bobby was laughing. "You look great, too, Bastion-baby! Now, CANNONBALL!!!" she yelled, jumping into the pool and splashing everyone nearby.

"Hey! That's my line!!" yelled Bobby, running to the diving board.

"Hmmm...should I try that?" Bastion wondered out loud.

"Yeah, yeah! Come on!!" replied Cherri. Bobby had also done a cannonball, and she grabbed Bastion's hand to pull him onto the diving board. "CANNONBALL!!!" Cherri yelled, jumping in. However, she didn't make much of a splash.

"All right, then." Bastion stood on the diving board. 'Now how do I do this? Seems simple enough,' he thought. He jumped, tucking his knees in. He landed in the water and when he came up, he heard Haylee giggling. "Haylee, what is it?"

She was dressed in a purple bikini and snickering. "Bastion...your trunks fell off!"

Bobby and Cherri had to hang onto the side of the pool as they laughed for fear of drowning. Meanwhile, Violet was blushing like mad as she handed them to him. "You have to be careful! Silly..."

Bastion's face was as red as his swim trunks. He pulled them on quickly. "Oh my...Sorry!"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Bastion. Al and Bobby did the same thing at least once," stated Barbara, smiling.

"MOM!! Geez," yelled Bobby angrily.

Alan laughed. "Bobby, it happens. Don't worry about it. Don't you worry about it either, Bastion."

Bastion's face had regained its normal cool color. "I won't...just rather embarrassing..."

"Girls don't have that problem!" shouted Violet, grinning.

"Yeah! Girls don't have that problem!!" repeated Cherri, also grinning. Bobby rolled his eyes and splashed them, starting an all-out water war in the pool.

Bastion decided to join in the water battle. "Oh, Bobby!" He got a mini-tsunami which knocked the 23-year-old over.

Bobby came up for air, spluttering and rubbing at his eyes. "Dun-dun...dun-dun dun-dun," Cherri sang, smiling excitedly.

As it got to its peak, Violet leapt up from underwater and wrapped her arms and legs around Bastion's torso. "Rawr! I'm Jaws!!"

"Oh, BLOODY!" Bastion yelled, losing his balance and falling into the water, face first. He inhaled a great deal of pool water.

Violet righted herself first and helped Bastion stand back up. "You okay, Bastion-baby? I didn't know you'd fall over like that!" Bastion coughed up a lot of pool water and had to go to the side of the pool to regain his breath.

"Bastion?" Alan asked in alarm, coming over.

"Are you okay, Bastion?" asked Barbara, also worried.

Bastion finally was able to talk. "Yes...just inhaled a great deal of water. Oh...I think I shall leave the pool for a moment." He got out and lay down on a lawn chair.

Violet sighed and also climbed out, sitting on a second lawn chair beside his own. "Sorry, Bastion-baby..."

Bastion coughed again. "Quite all right, darling...I was just startled..."

"Well, I'm still gonna stay out with you until you can get back in," she replied, lying down. It was late in the afternoon, the blue sky clear.

He reached out and held her hand. "Darling...you don't have to...I want you to have fun..."

"And I want you to have fun. Don't worry, we have the rest of the summer to swim," Violet explained, smiling and squeezing his hand.

"Just don't give up your fun...I love seeing you laugh and be happy," Bastion said.

Alan, hearing this conversation, smiled at his wife and Sakura. "He's really good for her," he said.

"Yes, I don't think she could have recovered so much had he not been there," replied Barbara happily.

"I'm glad that she found someone who really does love her," added Sakura, smiling.

"Yeah...and someday..." Alan's expression got dreamy, "I'll be walking my big girl down the aisle..."

"I always did think Bobby would be the first to go, not Violet. But it still makes me just as glad," Barbara agreed.

"Oh, well..."

Bastion did get back in the pool after a half-hour. "I believe I shall try a formal dive," he said, getting onto the diving board.

"Go Bastion-baby!" cheered Violet.

"Go B-B!!" repeated Cherri.

Bastion jumped off the board and got into the water as gracefully as a bird and came up, this time without losing his swim trunks. "Was that good?" he wondered.

"I give it a ten!" shouted Violet, hugging him.

"A ten!!" repeated Cherri, also hugging him.

"Eh, more like a nine," stated Bobby from the edge of the pool. He was promptly shoved in by Barbara.

Haylee, grinning wickedly, shoved her mother in the pool. Her mom grabbed her hand and the remaining Haverbrook women were in the pool, laughing. Alan sighed. "Might as well get in!" he said to Sakura, running and jumping.

"Come on, Mama!" called Cherri.

Sakura sighed. "All right, all right..." She, however, took the steps into the pool.

"Hooray! Who wants to play chicken?" Cherri asked excitedly.

"ME!!!" Haylee squealed.

"Er...what's chicken?" Bastion wondered.

"Well, one person climbs on top of another. Then, the people on top fight the others on top while the ones on the bottom try to stay balanced. Whoever's the last standing wins," explained Barbara.

"Oh..." Bastion remembered when Sy and Jaden played that game with Atticus and Alexis. "I've seen it, but I've never played it..."

"Well, let's do it!" shouted Violet. So, everyone split into pairs. Barbara was on top of Alan, Cherri was on top of Sakura, Haylee was on top of Bobby, and Violet was on top of Bastion. And what followed was a glorious water battle.

Bastion and Violet shoved Cherri off of her mother, and Alan and Barbara got Haylee off her brother. "So...it's up to us..." Bastion and Alan said to their significant others.

"I'm gonna beat you, Mom!" shouted Violet, grinning.

"Oh no, you're not!" Barbara countered. The two women grappled, twisting and turning as the men tried to keep their balance.

Alan and Bastion lost their balance at the same time. "Whoa!"

"Oh, bugger!" Both women yelped as their holders fell over, sending all four splashing into the water. Bobby and Cherri were laughing at how the game had ended.

Haylee was laughing too! "You TIED! YAY!"

"Now let's play Marco Polo!" shouted Violet eagerly.

"We parents will stick this one out. Besides, it's more fun if there are less people," stated Barbara.

"Good idea, Barb," Alan said. The kids and young adult played for nearly an hour.

By the time the sun was setting, everyone was tired out from swimming. The coming night was extremely warm, so everyone decided to stay in their swim suits. "Let's light the rest of the fireworks!" stated Violet eagerly.

"All right, then...What kinds of things are legal to use here?" Bastion wondered.

"How about we start with some Roman candles and sparklers?" offered Bobby.

"Save the best for last!" added Cherri, grinning.

Haylee was smiling. "Bastion, you promised you'd show me how to spell with the sparklers!"

"That I did," Bastion answered her, pulling on his shoes. "And we shall dance around a bit! Violet and Cherri, you should join us!"

"We will!" they both replied. So, Bobby got out a box of sparklers, and each of them got one.

"Whee!" squealed Violet, running around with the flashing firework. Bastion, as promised, showed Haylee how to spell her name using the sparklers. And then he took her hand when they got fresh sparklers and they danced around the neighborhood.

Then, a flash of red flew high above them, Bobby wielding a lit Roman candle. "Now this is MY kind of firework!" he shouted as a green blast went off.

"Are you supposed to hold those?" Bastion asked.

"Not really," Alan answered. "How we've never had to use the ER...I will never know..."

"Aw, I'm fine! Uncle Brian and Uncle Chad showed me how!!" replied Bobby. Another flash went off, lighting up the night sky a brilliant red.

Bastion decided to try it...with safety goggles on. "All right! Violet, darling, light it!"

"All rightie!" Violet lit the fuse, and after a second or so one of the red lights launched from the cylinder.

All went well, until the last volley when Bastion got singed eyebrows. "Ouch!"

Violet quickly ran over to him. "Bastion-baby! Are you all right??" she asked worriedly.

Bastion felt up to his eyebrows. "Just a little singed, darling...I'll just clean it up in a bit," he smiled cheerfully. "I don't require a trip to the ER, fortunately..."

"That's good! Now what, Bobby?" Violet asked.

"Artillery shells and jumping jacks!" he replied.

"Oh, and I bought ground flowers and Killer Bees!" Bastion grinned.

"I've never heard of ground flowers, or Killer Bees...are they like Bumblebees?" asked Cherri.

"Ground flowers are like Jumping Jacks in a way," Bastion explained, "and Killer Bees look like bees and are lit off and fly."

"So we have double the firepower! Nice!!" replied Bobby. The two set up the four kinds of fireworks, and lit the artillery shell first. It launched pyrotechnic stars into the air before they exploded.

"All right!" Bastion whooped. "I am acting rather out of the common, aren't I, darling?"

"Yeah, but it's a holiday! You're supposed to let loose and have fun!!" Violet replied, grinning. They lit the jumping jacks next, which lit up with sparks and spun around and around.

Bastion lit several ground flowers and the effect with the jumping jacks was amazing. "It looks like we have a field here...And I know it's a holiday, but were I a fictional character, a fan fiction group might accuse authors of writing me out of character...gravely out of character..."

"You're so funny, Bastion! As if we could ever be in a fan fiction!! And even if we were, I like you this way," Violet replied, kissing his cheek. They lit the Bumblebees and Killer Bees, which launched gold into the sky and then fizzled out green.

"Well, darling, I wouldn't have you any other way than how you are..." And as the fireworks went, Bastion pulled Violet to him, kissing her lovingly and gently.

_And so the fourth of July ends in Ohio. No major mishaps and no one ended up in the ER. So next time, we rejoin the gang in Domino. What will Jaden and the three Rhodes siblings do on Independence Day? Find out in "Wax and Burn!" Until next time, please read and review and stay tuned! Thanks in advance for your reading and reviews!_


	73. Wax and Burn

Chapter LXXIII: Wax and Burn

_Hello again, readers. We're glad that you enjoyed the last chapter and again we thank you all for reading and reviewing. And so, we move on to the next chapter. Thanks to Agent of the Divine One for the title suggestion for this chapter. And so, back to Domino and to Jaden, Alexis, Chazz and Atticus. _

_**Disclaimer: We don't own the YGO franchise or its established characters. We just own our storyline, OCs, non-established characters and our version of the Yugi-verse.**_

_**Authors' note: What happens with Jaden and the surfboard can happen in real life. You…might not want to know.**_

Back in Domino... POP POP POP POP POP!!! Jaden and Alexis awoke to Atticus and Chazz breaking Pop-its and using noisemakers! "AUUGGGGHHH! CHAZZ!" Jaden shouted.

"Gotcha!" the raven-headed Rhodes countered with a slight grin.

"We told you two that we'd Chatticus you up!" added Atticus, grinning. Alexis had a slight case of bed-head, and sent her brothers one of the deadliest glares she could muster this early.

"We are so going to get you back today!" Jaden growled. "You wrecked my dream about the dueling fried shrimp!"

"And I, personally, like to get beauty sleep!" added Alexis venomously.

"Should we Jalexis them up?" Jaden asked, intending to sound menacing. However, Chazz cracked up.

Atticus was also laughing at the name. "Jaden, that's just...well, how about we Alexen them up instead?" she offered.

Chazz sighed. "Whatever...we'll be on our guard...right, big bro?"

"Right! Anyway, Mom was going to wake you guys up soon. Breakfast is almost ready!!" he explained, grinning.

"Great. Now out," replied Alexis, annoyed.

The single boys left, getting their Independence Day garb on and heading downstairs. Meanwhile, Jaden grinned. "I know who I never want mad at me, babe..."

Alexis smiled. "Yeah, I thought you would have figured that out by now," she replied, running a brush through her hair.

"I just need to be reminded once in a while," Jaden said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, Lex...this is going to be the best 4th of July ever."

"Yeah, because I'll be spending it with you," she stated happily. Alexis was currently digging through her dresser drawers in search of something to wear.

Jaden had his outfit ready. "Yeah...well, this is the first 4th that I'll be spending with more than just Mom and Dad." Alexis had finally found a suitable outfit as well, and the two changed out of their pajamas. She was wearing a red T-shirt, blue jean capris, and white sandals. Jaden pulled on his blue jean shorts and a t-shirt that looked like a section of the American flag. He completed the ensemble with a pair of navy blue flip flops. "Lex, you look great...oh, man...Zane and his parents are joining us, right?"

"Yeah. Something wrong?" she asked at his tone.

"No, I'm happy...just thinking about Sy...he sounded nervous last night on the phone..."

"Yeah, he did. I wonder what was making him so worried...he would have mentioned if something was wrong with Annie."

"Lex...I think he was planning something..."

"Like what?"

"Well," Jaden began, "he asked me how you reacted when I formally proposed. And he asked how I felt..."

Alexis's eyes widened. "You don't think that he...plans on proposing to her today, do you??"

Jaden thought carefully. "Knowing Sy...I think he is...He said Annie loves the fireworks displays and she's been so happy being home." He added, "He said he talked to her dad and then he didn't say anything more about it!"

"Well, maybe we should give them a call tomorrow. See how things turned out," she replied.

"Yeah... I think it'll turn out great. Hey, do I need a wetsuit today when we go to the beach?"

"Yeah. We'll probably go swimming." Alexis answered, grabbing her own suit.

"Atticus said something about surfing...Have you done it?"

"No, it's not really interesting for me. What about you?"

"I'm willing to try anything once...Can you see me shooting the curl?"

She thought for a moment, then grinned. "Yeah. You'd look pretty cute on a surfboard!"

Jaden grinned back. "Yeah...this is going to be great!" They headed downstairs where Jack and Scout had made breakfast.

"We have our Fourth of July waffles!" Scout said cheerfully.

"I love Fourth of July waffles!" cheered Atticus happily.

"It smells great," added Alexis.

"And we have the usual toppings!" Scout had blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream.

"All right Mom and Dad!" Chazz cheered. "This is already my best 4th of July ever!"

Everyone started digging in, Atticus and Jaden both eating with much gusto. "Hooray for waffles!" yelled Atticus.

Scout looked at Jack. "Honey, did we get enough meat for this evening? Jayda's bringing potato salad and I know Darla's bringing dessert..."

"Oh yes. I was sure to stop at the store and pick quite an amount up. There should be plenty," Jack replied, smiling.

"YAY!" Jaden grinned. "I wonder if Dad's bringing wasabi dip?"

"Wasabi dip, Jaden?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah, it's great for chips!"

"Won't that be a little spicy, Jaden?" asked Alexis, grimacing.

"I'm willing to try it!" stated Atticus eagerly.

"Yeah, it's awesome!" Jaden grinned. Chazz shook his head, groaning.

"Don't worry, you two. We'll put out regular dip, too," stated Jack.

The three Rhodes kids breathed a sigh of relief. "This'll be great!" Jaden crowed again. "So, Atticus, are you using the big surfboards? Those look awesome!" he queried.

"Of course! A pro-surfer like myself would use nothing less!! You can't charm a beach babe with a boogie board," he explained, grinning. Alexis groaned.

Chazz was smiling. "I've got my wetsuit ready...The Rhodes brothers are on the prowl!"

"Charles Xavier Rhodes, don't just pick up girls..." "Yes, Mom..."

"And don't take advice from Atty like you did last time," added Alexis.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean??" Atticus asked indignantly.

"Son, you can be a little...TOO forward with women sometimes," explained Jack, sweat-dropping.

"Oh, yeah," Chazz remembered. "Sorry, sis...I'm glad things turned out the way they did, though..."

Jaden grinned. "Don't worry about it, bro. I'm just glad you didn't get too upset when I started dating Jaden," Alexis replied, smiling.

The boys all grinned at that. "Well, I'm glad you found somebody, honey," Scout grinned.

Alexis blushed a little, then they all finished breakfast. "So, what's next on today's agenda, kids?" asked Jack.

"Well, Dad, we want to all go to the beach for a bit and Atticus is going to show us how to surf using the big boards!" Chazz said excitedly.

"I've never surfed before, Jack, and I want to learn!" Jaden added.

"The big boards, Atty? Are they well-waxed?" Scout asked, looking at her oldest boy.

"Of course they are! I'd never let me OR my boards get out of shape," he replied, grinning.

"I'm just going to sunbathe and swim a little, Dad," added Alexis.

"Good, because I don't want you boys falling off the boards! The wax helps you stick to the boards..." she explained to Chazz and Jaden.

"Yeah?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah, honey, it's a little bit sticky so your feet can grip."

"Cool!" Jaden said. "We'll be really careful, Scout...so who's taking us? The beach is going to be pretty busy today..."

"Well, I have the day off, so I can take you three. Do you have everything you need?" offered Jack, smiling.

"Just gotta grab the boards, Dad!" replied Atticus.

"All right!" Chazz and Jaden hooted. They grabbed a cooler of snacks and the four kids piled into the car, Atticus securing the boards.

"So the wax'll help us stay on?" Jaden asked Atticus.

"Yup! It sticks your feet to the board so you don't slip. But even if you do, there's a rope around your ankle that connects you to the board," he explained.

"That way you can grab onto the board as a life preserver so you don't drown. Plus, it's easier finding a big board than one little person out on the ocean," added Jack as they began driving.

"Cool! Man, it's hot!" Jaden said, pulling his shirt off. "I'll be glad when we're out on the water! Chazz, you put on sun block, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't want you getting melanoma..."

"Slacker..."

"My mom's a cancer doctor, so that's how I know..."

"Oh..." Jaden really should've kept his shirt on.

Alexis couldn't help but stare for a few moments at Jaden's exposed upper half, finally deciding she'd have to stare out the window. However, Atticus noticed the light blush on her face and grinned. "Hey, Jaden! You're making Lexi nervous!!"

"ATTY!!!" she yelped.

Jaden grinned. "It's cool, Lex. I just got hot is all...and it's not like I'll need it when we're out on the water."

"Speak for yourself Jaden, I'm leaving my wetsuit shirt on," Chazz said.

"Good idea," Jaden said.

"Why does he need to keep it on?" she asked. Realizing exactly what she'd asked, Alexis' blush intensified a little.

Atticus grinned. "'Cause, Lexi. Even if you think your fiancé looks cute without his shirt on-"

"ATTY!!!"

"-the waves out there are rough. He'd get serious water burn."

"Hey, I hit in the head by a meteor...I think I can handle it, Atticus," Jaden said.

"You got hit in the head by a meteor?" Chazz asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, that's when I got my Neo-Spacian deck..."

"Ooo-okay," Chazz said. "Well, I guess you're tough enough..."

There was some silence in the car for a few moments, Alexis finally giving a sigh. "Whatever you say, Jaden," she stated.

"It did happen, Lex! That's how I met Aquos! And that's how we sent Sartorius packing when I got back."

"Hey, I stood up to him!" Chazz said.

"Yeah, but we all took him down!"

"Oh, yeah..."

Luckily, the strange conversation about meteors, aliens, and cult whack-jobs was dropped as they reached the beach. "All right kids, we're here," stated Jack.

"YEAH!!!" the boys hooted. They each grabbed boards and ran for the beach.

"Let's get our surf on!" Jaden shouted. "Yeah...uh," Chazz said, "let's do that!"

Alexis sighed and followed them at a slower pace, setting up the beach umbrella she'd brought a few yards from the shoreline. As she set up her spot of shade for sunbathing, Atticus was making a bee-line out to the ocean for the next wave. "Come on, guys!" he called.

"All right! Now what do we do?" the two younger boys asked once they were out in the water.

"Wait for it...wait for it...now! There, turn around and get ready to stand!!" Atticus shouted as a wave rolled towards them. He flipped his board around as the wave started lifting them up into the air.

Chazz got up on the board easily and caught the wave. "THIS IS GREAT!!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Jaden, however, had gotten on the board, paddled out and moved to get up when he felt a ripping sensation on the few chest hairs that he had. "What the...OUCH!!!" he shouted. Jaden had ripped the hair off his chest, plus a little skin. "OUCH!!!" Atticus and Chazz were, unfortunately, too far away on either side of the wave to hear him. Atticus was doing a classic hang-ten, and Chazz was just trying to stay upright as the wave began lowering once more. Alexis, however, had been watching Jaden, and noticed his sudden distress. Worried, she walked over to the shallows in her pink two piece bikini.

Jaden was hurting a lot. "OH MAN! OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!" He sank into the water, which oddly cooled the sore spots and groaned. 'Really should've kept my shirt on,' he thought. 'I think I'll get out...' He swam back to the shallows and saw his fiancée. "Lex? I did something dumb...as usual," he groaned.

"What happened, Jaden? You looked like you were in pain," Alexis asked, Jaden being mostly hidden behind the large surfboard. Atticus and Chazz were apparently having too much fun on the next wave to notice that one of theirs was back at the beach.

Jaden set the surfboard down, revealing his raw chest. "I waxed my chest hair," he said pathetically.

She couldn't stop herself from cracking a smile at the sight, and led Jaden over to the spot she'd set up. "That's okay, Jaden. Once the redness goes away you'll look fine. Just sit and relax for a while with me."

"Urgh...how do women do that?" he asked, groaning. "Do you have any aloe vera?"

"I can check..." Alexis searched through the beach bag she'd brought, pulling out sun block, suntan lotion, and aloe vera. "Look how lucky you are. Here, I'll rub it on, and it might sting a little at first," she said. She squeezed some into her hands and started rubbing the liquid onto the irritated area.

Jaden gritted his teeth against the pain. "Why didn't Atticus warn me? Oh...how do women wax? It hurts!" He finally relaxed as the cooling liquid did its job. "Ah...thanks, babe..."

"No problem. I guess girls get used to it after a few times," she replied, shrugging. Alexis wiped her hands off on a towel, then started putting sun block on her arms, legs, chest, stomach, and face.

"Here, let me help...you're missing your back and thighs," Jaden said, getting the lotion. "Mom always reminds me to get everything covered so there's no problem..." He took the bottle from her and rubbed it on her back and shoulders and then her muscular thighs. "This okay?"

Alexis couldn't help but blush a little, and nodded comfortably. "You'd be a good massage therapist, Jaden..."

"Thanks, Alexis...Hey, uh...could you get me, too? I think I need to stay out of the water now..."

Alexis laughed softly and grabbed the sun block. "All right," she replied, rubbing the liquid into his shoulders, back, and thighs like he'd done to her.

That had an unintended effect on Jaden. He really relaxed. "That's so nice, Lex..." And within a couple of minutes, he was fast asleep.

Alexis blinked in surprise when she realized he'd fallen asleep with his head on her lap, but then smiled. 'He's so cute when he's sleeping,' she thought, brushing back a few stray bangs of his hair.

Meanwhile, out on the water, Chazz realized something. "ATTICUS! JADEN'S NOT OUT HERE!!" he shouted to his big brother.

"He's not?! Is he on the beach??" Atticus called back, the wave they were currently riding dying down.

Chazz looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the board. "I see his board! It's on the beach!"

"Let's go see what he's up to!" So, the two boys paddled back to shore, quickly finding Alexis's spot on the beach.

"Oh, man! Alexis, what happened?" Chazz yelped, running up, and quieting when he saw his future brother-in-law sleeping.

"Apparently, he learned the hard way to always wear your wetsuit shirt while surfing. He practically got a chest wax," she whispered.

Atticus sweat-dropped. "Yeah...probably should've mentioned that..."

"Ouch...Glad he's okay...we were having so much fun out there, we didn't notice he left," Chazz said softly. Jaden stirred a little but didn't wake, revealing the raw chest.

"Ooooh," Chazz winced.

"Yeah, I rubbed some aloe vera on it. He fell asleep while I was helping him with sun block," Alexis explained further, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Bro, why don't we take a little break?" Chazz asked quietly. "I could use a break and we could probably stand to reapply our sunscreen..." It was then that Chazz realized he was feeling kind of hot. "Oh...man, I feel funny..."

Atticus blinked. "What do you mean? It can't be sunburn, 'cause you used sun block. Right??" he asked, frowning.

"It can go off after a bit, even if it's waterproof," Chazz groaned, now noticing that instead of the healthy-looking bronze that Atticus had, he was red.

Alexis sighed. "Well, sit in the shade and Atty can rub some more sun block on you. I'd stay out of the sun for a bit," she explained.

"Ouch," Chazz groaned. "Help, bro..." Atticus grabbed the aloe vera and the sun block, and Chazz lay down on a beach towel. "Ouch...sorry, Atty..."

"Hey, don't worry about it, bro! The beach'll always be here for more surfing. Not to mention surfing at the academy," he replied, smiling. Atticus rubbed in the aloe vera first, Alexis sighing again and closing her eyes comfortably.

Chazz relaxed at his new brother's touch. "Thanks, big bro...You know what?"

"What?"

"I'm not afraid of you..."

Atticus, as always, was slow the register the words' true meaning. "Huh? What are you talking about??"

"You aren't going to hurt me..." Chazz was growing sleepy.

Finally, it clicked in Atticus' brain, and he grinned. "Of course I won't. This is what real brothers are like, little bro," he replied as he rubbed in the sun block.

"I like that..." And about a minute or two after he said this, Chazz was fast asleep, and the two original Rhodes siblings were sitting in the shade.

"Looks like they're both asleep now," stated Alexis. "Must be the Rhodes touch," replied Atticus, grinning.

"Get your game on, dueling hot dog," Jaden muttered.

"I'm gonna Chazz you up, alien invaders..." Chazz had watched "Independence Day" with Will Smith the night before and was fighting the freaky aliens in his dream. Both Rhodes siblings couldn't help but laugh a little, watching over the two as they slept.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Jaden and Chazz slept for about an hour and when they awoke, Alexis called her father to come get them from the beach. But Scout was the one to come get them. "Did you kids have fun..? Oh, my, Chazz, you have a sunburn!"

"I'm okay, Mom... Atty took care of me..."

And then Scout saw Jaden's chest. "Atticus...did you forget to mention something that one of the people who taught you how to surf forgot to tell you?" she asked with a grin.

Atticus sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah...Jaden got waxed," he replied.

"It was funnier when it happened to you, though, Atty," stated Alexis, grinning.

"You got waxed too?" Jaden asked. "Ouch!"

"Well, are you kids okay enough for the party tonight?" They all nodded. "Okay, we'll get home and Dad's got the barbeque going. We'll have beef ribs, pork ribs, burgers, hot dogs and chicken...that sound good?"

Jaden's eyes widened and he grinned. "Oh, yeah...and Mom's potato salad...Mmmmm..."

"This is gonna be great!" exclaimed Atticus. They all piled into the car and drove home, the smell of grilling meat filling the outside air when they got out of the car.

"Hey, do we have fireworks?" Jaden asked after they had lunch.

"Fireworks?!" Chazz yelped, his mind invoking all sorts of horrible things happening if Jaden had fireworks.

"Not too many; just some of the smaller ones. Domino City's really strict on fireworks for some reason, remember?" reminded Alexis.

"We have sparklers, smoke bombs, bumblebees, uh," began Atticus, thinking.

"And fountains!!" Jaden said happily, knowing what things were legal.

"Fountains?" Chazz asked.

"You've never had fountains?" Jaden asked in shock.

"No...They were always too busy working and I watched the public displays on TV..."

"Well, now you'll get to see some up close!" replied Atticus excitedly.

It was at this moment the parents made their appearance, as did Zane. He sauntered into the backyard where everyone was congregated casually. "Hey, everyone..."

"Hey, Zane," the other teens greeted.

"Hi, kids," Will Truesdale greeted with a smile.

"Jaden, what happened to your chest?" Jayda asked.

"I had a little trouble surfing this morning, Mom," Jaden explained.

"He got waxed, Jayda. I believe you remember when a similar occurrence happened to our son?" explained Jack.

Hisoka grimaced. "Oh, my. That must have been painful, Jaden..."

"Yeah, Dad...I don't know how Mom can stand it...I mean, Mom, you wax your..."

"Jaden...honey, that's private," Jayda quickly said, sweat-dropping.

"Oh...sorry," Jaden said, blushing.

"Zane nearly blurted out the same thing when he was younger. Why don't we just move on to the fireworks?" offered Darla, deciding to change the subject.

"Good idea," Jayda said. "Have you heard from Sy?" she asked Darla as the kids grabbed the bags of fireworks.

"Yes, he called last night." Darla's voice lowered to a whisper. "He's planning on proposing to Annie during a fireworks display tonight."

"Oh, my...he must be so excited!"

"Jaden and my three suspected something was up this morning," Scout said. "So we'll have three weddings...Hard to believe our kids are growing up like this...Now if Atticus will just settle on a young lady..."

Meanwhile, Will and the other dads were watching the kids get the fireworks ready. "This is the first 4th we haven't had Sy and Zane together," Will commented to the guys.

"I wonder how he feels about it," thought Hisoka aloud.

"I know any one of my kids wouldn't enjoy the holiday as much if one was missing," explained Jack.

"Sy's excited...Darla and I are finally going to have a daughter..."

"Yes, I'm sure all of the parents connected to the upcoming weddings are very excited," Hisoka agreed.

"I never expected my daughter to be the first to go, though," Jack added.

"I never thought Sy would be the first to get a girlfriend, much less get lucky on his first real try," Will grinned. "He's been enjoying Seattle..."

Meanwhile, Zane pulled a bunch of smoke bombs out of his stash. "Ever lit these off attached to a Piccolo Pete?"

"What's that?" asked Alexis curiously.

In response, Zane pulled out a blue firework that looked a bit like a mini blue Roman candle on a red stand. "You don't know what this is, Lexi?" he asked. "I'm shocked."

Jaden had a delighted grin on his face. "Those things make noise...loud noise!"

"Well, why don't we try it and then I'll know?" she offered, smiling.

"Let's do it!" shouted Atticus.

"My first time at this too, sis!" Chazz grinned. And so, Zane tied the fuses of the two fireworks together and Alexis lit the fuse. They all moved away quickly and the fireworks went off in a fusion of noise and brightly colored smoke.

"SWEET!" Jaden shouted.

"Awesome!" Chazz grinned.

"Pretty good," Zane added seriously.

"THAT'S SO COOL!!!" shouted Atticus, eyes wide.

"That was amazing, Zane!" added Alexis happily.

Jaden got a manic look in his eyes. "What else can we tie together?"

"Uh..." Zane and Chazz suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

"How about a sparkler and a bumblebee??" Atticus offered, holding the same manic look.

"Here we go," Alexis groaned.

"All right!" Jaden grinned.

"Oh, no," Chazz groaned.

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned.

And then, it happened. They tried it...and the bumblebee flew over Chazz's head, and a spark got in his hair. "MY HAIR'S ON FIRE!!!" Alexis's jaw dropped, and she quickly ran into the house for some water. Meanwhile, Atticus and Jaden were trying to blow out the fire like one would a candle on a cake.

Fortunately, Will grabbed the hose, drenching the boys. "Thanks, Dad," Zane said, attempting to maintain his dignity while drenched in a very wet t-shirt.

"What were you boys thinking?"

"That it'd be cool," Jaden said weakly.

"Jaden Kiyo Yuki," Jayda said dangerously.

"Atticus Lee Rhodes!" Scout growled. The boys were about to sheepishly reply when Alexis ran over with a bucket of water, not knowing that the fire was already out. She threw the water in Chazz's direction, but ended up splashing Zane with more water.

Zane blinked. "Uh...thank you?" he said, stunned. "Why do I keep thinking that Violet is here somehow?"

"No idea," Chazz answered.

"Man, talk about weird," Jaden added.

"Oh, kids?" Scout asked, not quite losing the tense look. "I forgot to tell you that we invited the Misawas...you aren't going to try that again, are you?"

"No, Mom..."

"No, Scout..."

"Good," she said, folding her arms over her chest.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Sorry, Zane. I thought Chazz was still on fire...and I guess my aim was a bit off," she apologized.

"That's okay! He was already wet," stated Atticus simply.

"Like I said...Violet should be here," Zane said drily.

"She isn't, but she said hi!" Katai said, coming into the backyard. "Thanks for the invitation, Scout..."

"Our pleasure..."

"It's rather strange celebrating without Bastion," stated Hiro.

"We know how you feel, Hiro. It's weird without Syrus around," replied Darla.

"Yeah, and our kids are growing up while they're gone," Katai added. "I'm glad you invited us over, Scout...the house is so quiet without Bastion there...While he's been gone at school it's been hard...I miss my baby..."

"They're our babies even when they grow up," Scout said knowingly, watching the kids playing with the fireworks.

Jaden had tied two fountains together and fired them off. "YEAH!!!" he whooped happily.

"He'd be happy with bubble-wrap," Chazz remarked.

"Hmmm...I remember something involving a duct tape ball," Zane remarked.

Alexis couldn't help but grin. "Annie made those. It was actually fun to watch," she replied.

"Those things looked awesome!" added Atticus.

Jaden looked up from what he was now tying together...a ground flower and a jumping jack. "Oh, are you talking about the shiny sticky ball? Annie showed me how to make them! Too bad we're out of duct tape...We could go to the home supply store and get some tomorrow...Want to, Atticus?"

"Yeah!" he replied excitedly.

Alexis, meanwhile, sighed. "Jaden, are you going to tie EVERY pair of fireworks together before setting them off??"

"Not this," he said, grinning. He took a huge fountain from a bag, about the size of a bucket of paint. "This doesn't get tied with anything! I want to light this one when it gets dark!"

"Man, that's big," Chazz said. "Jaden, how do you get your parents to buy you this stuff?"

"Mom and Dad have always had as much fun as I have!"

"Figures," Zane commented.

"Oh, Jay, save that one for a bit, honey!" Jayda said, coming up to the kids. "I want to light this one off..."

"Okay, Mom!"

"That's gonna be cool to watch!" stated Atticus.

"Just so long as you don't catch anything else on fire," replied Alexis.

"Don't jinx it!" Chazz yelped, unconsciously patting his hair.

"Yes...please don't jinx it," Zane added drily, not wanting to get soaked again.

"Don't worry kids, I'm lighting this bad boy off," Jayda reminded them.

Since the group had gotten done with fireworks for the moment, Scout had an idea. "It's such a warm day; I hope everyone brought their swimsuits. Kids, get out the Slip n Slide!"

"Slip n Slide?" Katai asked.

"Oh, one of those!" Will grinned.

"Sweet!" Jayda said happily.

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned.

"Uh, Zane, what's the problem?" Chazz wondered.

"You didn't see the last 4th of July when our dads got on that thing..."

Atticus was already in the midst of pulling off his clothes when Alexis poked him. "Atty...you ARE wearing swim _trunks_, right?" she asked warily.

He grinned. "Yup! I learned my lesson at last year's party, Lexi."

Chazz looked at his brother and sister, puzzled and a little freaked out at the same time. "Uh...do I want to know?" he asked.

"You don't," Zane answered. "Sy didn't talk for nearly a day..."

"Why?" Jaden asked curiously.

Alexis groaned. "He ran through a bush...and they were ripped off. _Entirely_," she explained. Atticus grinned sheepishly.

"That wasn't the worst of it...and some things were caught on tape. We could've won 10,000 dollars sending the tapes in to America's Funniest Home Videos," Zane said, straight-faced as ever.

"Really?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah," Zane groaned.

"This could be fun," Chazz said, getting a strange look on his face. Meanwhile, the adults went and got their suits on. Alexis raised an eyebrow, but shrugged the look off and slipped off her shirt to reveal a navy blue bikini top. Scout came out of the house wearing a navy blue one-piece suit, while Jayda Yuki walked back out of the house in a red tankini. Katai Misawa came to the backyard wearing a two-piece suit in golden yellow. Will Truesdale wore gray swim trunks with red cuffs. Darla followed in a blue one piece that matched her hair along with Jack in a pair of maroon-colored swim trunks. Hisoka's trunks were orange and Hiro's were yellow.

The Rhodes kids set up the large piece of yellow plastic, along with what looked like a very shallow kiddy pool at the end of the track. Atticus, Alexis and Chazz got it down and secure and then attached the hose. "Oh, this is sweet!" Jaden said delightedly.

"Jaden, do you know how to use it?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah, I know! This'll be great! You should see Mom!"

"Uh...huh?" Zane asked.

And then Jayda ran at the plastic, whooping. "YEE-HAH!!"

A few jaws dropped as the mother slid across the plastic, splashing into the pool. "That's my wife!" shouted Hisoka, grinning.

"Hisoka! Your turn!" Jayda shouted.

"GO DAD!" Jaden added. "This is gonna be great!"

The lawyer smiled, and then ran at the slide. "OBJECTION!!!" Hisoka yelled, sliding along so fast that he bounced out of the pool and into the grass.

"All right! My turn!" Jaden said, running, tripping and then sliding on his butt and stopping midway down the slide. He tried to get up, but face-planted onto the grass. He also landed on his recently waxed chest. "Owie!"

"Okay, my turn!" Scout shouted, laughing. "WAHOO!!!" she yelled, doing a perfect belly landing and sliding down the slide and into the pool. "YES! Who's next?"

"Me, Mom!" Chazz shouted. Unfortunately, he landed and was in immediate pain due to his sunburn. "AUGH!!!"

Alexis and some of the others visibly winced. "You okay, son?" asked Jack.

"Ach...yeah, Dad...ow...just didn't think my sunburn would still hurt," Chazz groaned, wincing.

"I'll get some more aloe, sweetie," Scout soothed. She ran and got some. "Jack, I think it's your turn..."

"All right!" Jack started running, but ended up slipping and doing down the slide on his back instead of his belly. Then, when he hit the pool, he bounced out of it and face-planted the grass.

"Honey, are you all right?" Scout asked, running up to him.

"Dad?" Chazz asked, worried.

"I'm fine! Just some dirt and grass, nothing to worry about!!" he replied, standing.

"Then I'll go!" stated Alexis. She ran and did a perfect slide, the water accenting her curves, tan, and suit.

Jaden clapped. "Nice job, babe!!"

"Go, sis!" Chazz added, laughing a little as his mother now coated his back in aloe.

"MY TURN!!!" yelled Atticus. He ran and jumped, but ended up sliding along the wet grass instead of the slide. "Ow ow ow ow ow!" he shouted, getting grass burn.

"Oh, lord," Zane sighed.

"Looks like you're master of the grass burn, big brother!" Chazz grinned. Jaden winced in sympathy as he and Alexis moved to help Atticus.

"Okay, I guess we go," Katai grinned at her husband. "Hiro, I have the camera going so Bastion can see this later!" And she took off across the slide. She did well, coughing a little water as it ran up her nose. "Oh, I haven't done that in years! Hiro, c'mon!"

"Well, all right. Here I go!" Hiro slid across the slide, standing after he'd reached the end. "Oh, my. It's been more than a few years, darling," he said, wincing.

"Oh, don't you remember when Bastion was three?" she teased. "And then you crashed into the fence?"

"Oh, don't remind me, darling," he replied.

Atticus, meanwhile, was grinning through the pain of his grass burn as he poked Zane. "Your turn..."

"I'm going first!" Will grinned happily. "COWABUNGA!!!" He slid and crashed off of the slide becoming the second victim of grass burn, though this was mild. "Ouch...Darla...your turn..."

Darla sweat-dropped. "All right." She slid down, and was one of the few who made it without injury.

"Nice, honey!"

"Good going, Mom!" Zane added. "My turn?" The other kids looked at him expectantly. Zane ran and everything seemed to go well...that is until he flew off the pool section and crashed into the fence. He crashed and broke a few fence boards. Fortunately, Zane didn't lose his pants like Atticus had the previous summer. "Mom...Dad...I think I need tweezers..."

Hiro knew what pain Zane was in, and walked over to help him up. "Are you all right, Zane? Honey??" asked Darla worriedly.

"Oh yeah! Zane got a perfect strike!!" yelled Atticus, grinning.

"I...have splinters...in my butt...Ow," Zane said, dazed. The kids looked at each other.

"Zane can get splinters in his butt?" Jaden asked. "That seems impossible..."

Darla sighed. "Scout, do you have a pair of tweezers?" she asked. Atticus was busy laughing, finding the event absolutely hilarious.

"Atticus...shut up...it's not funny," Zane growled as his mother led him into the house and to the bathroom.

Scout followed. "I'll help you! I'm a surgeon!"

"I ONLY HAVE SPLINTERS IN MY BUTT!" Zane howled.

Jaden tried to hold in his laughter, as did Chazz and the other kids. "Oh, man! Where is Sy when we need him?"

"That happened before," Will commented drily.

Alexis was surprised. "It did?? I just never imagined anything like this could happen to Zane..."

"It was when he was five...he was riding his bike and lost control...we ended up calling the fire department to get him out..." The kids were cracking up.

Soon, it was dark, and everyone was back in their clothes. "Let's light the big one!" shouted Atticus excitedly.

"We've still got all these little fountains to light off," Jaden said.

"I want to light off the big one, sweetie!" Jayda grinned.

"Now?"

"Now!"

Zane, now sitting on a small inflatable doughnut, groaned, "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

Will smiled, patting his son's shoulder. "It's okay...Zane, it's okay."

Jayda lit the fuse and it burned down. Everyone waited. There was a spark and...a fizzle. "What the—? Wait for it!" Jayda said excitedly. Two minutes passed.

Still nothing. "Mom..."

"Yeah, Jay-Jay?"

"I think it's a dud." Everyone sweat-dropped.

Atticus rolled his eyes. "I know what'll make it work!" he stated, walking over to it and pulling back his foot.

"Atty," began Alexis, frowning.

"Don't worry, sis! You just give it a good ki—" Just as Atticus was about to kick the fountain, it finally went off. Being mere inches from him, it singed his clothing and a strand of his hair caught on fire.

The kids looked at Zane expectantly, thinking he'd say his line. "What?" he asked.

"You're supposed to say, 'Oh, lord,'" Chazz said.

"I don't have to say it all the time..."

"Yeah you do," Jaden grinned. "It'd be like me not saying, 'Get your game on!'"

While the others were apparently busy trying to convince Zane to say his line, the fountain appeared in the sky. "Pretty...ow," Atticus groaned, falling onto his back in the grass. Apparently, his face had been singed as well...and his hair was still partially on fire.

Will ran and grabbed the hose. "Here, Atty! This'll help!"

He got Atticus put out and... "Not again," Zane groaned as water hit him. "Oh, lord..." The rest of the teens cheered.

_Miraculously, no one ended up in the ER in Domino on the Fourth of July. And so we move onto the final couple on America's birthday, Syrus and Annie. We all know he's been planning to ask Annie to marry him during the multiple fireworks displays, so how will the whole day go? Stay tuned next time for "Sweetness in Seattle!" See you next time._


	74. Sweetness in Seattle

Chapter LXXIV: Sweetness in Seattle

_Hello, yet again, from your friendly neighborhood authoresses, 15animefreak15 and Peach Wookiee! We're glad you're still here with us and if you joined us and have caught up recently, welcome! And to our loyal readers and reviewers, please remember that all your reviews are seen by both of us. They're real mood boosters!_

_Last time, we saw the dangers of surfing without a shirt, lack of sun block and a Slip n Slide that resulted in Zane getting splinters in his posterior. But again, nothing catastrophic happened to the Domino Five. So we now join the Seattle couple on a very special day, but not just because it's America's birthday..._

_**Disclaimer: We don't own...oh heck, you all know that. Sierra Mist is the property of the Coca-Cola company. Thank you!**_

_**Authors' note: This chapter contains mention of the Seattle Sonics and their sale and movement to Oklahoma City. Many Seattle fans were angered by this move. We hope to get a new team someday. We're mad at the owners, not Oklahoma City's people. Thank you.**_

About a thousand miles away, in Medina, Washington, at 7 that morning, a boy with fluffy blue hair lay cuddled against a girl with very short brown hair. The girl had no idea, but the boy was planning something. And so she lay in blissful slumber against him. Syrus yawned, opening his eyes a crack. He rubbed the sleep from them and sat up, glancing at Annie's sleeping form with a smile. 'Today's the day...I just hope nothing happens,' Syrus thought as he quietly climbed out of bed, trying not to wake her. Annie stirred and turned, but didn't wake, which was a good thing. For the past few nights, her dreams had been very frightening to her. It probably didn't help that she'd had to see her family doctor and a pediatric cardiologist at the Bellevue branch of Seattle's Children's Hospital. As much as she liked these doctors, the situation was...unnerving. So her dreams had reflected that. He sighed, remembering the past few days as he pulled off his nightshirt. Between Annie's nightmares and the trip to the hospital for check-ups on her condition, they needed the holiday. Syrus pulled on a white T-shirt, and decided to take a look at the ring. He went into his suitcase and pulled out the small box, opening it to reveal the band of platinum. 'I hope she likes it,' he thought.

And then, Sy heard soft footsteps. "Hey, Sy," Bobby Hanson whispered poking his head around the open door. "You okay, buddy?"

Syrus jumped nearly a foot into the air, the ring box flying across the room and into the wall. "Oh! Bobby, it's you...oh, man. The ring," he groaned, crawling over to the box. Luckily, no damage had been done.

Bobby blushed slightly. "Sorry, Syrus, didn't mean to scare you. So today's the day, huh?" he asked softly.

"Yeah...I'm really nervous," the smaller boy replied, standing. Syrus closed the box and stuffed it back into his suitcase, under his clothes.

"Don't worry about it, Syrus...after the past few nights...even if it's not perfect how you ask her, this'll be her dream come true...she's crazy about you..."

Syrus blushed a little, knowing Bobby was right. They were both crazy about each other and this was the next step. "I know...thanks, Bobby..."

Bobby smiled. "No problem. You know, until you came, I wondered if Annie would ever have anyone...she never had guy friends or even a boyfriend..."

"I never had any friends either until Duel Academy besides Atty and Alexis. I guess it was a good thing we both went there, huh?"

"Yeah...and whatever happens...I know my little sister has been happy." Bobby smiled, but there was something in his eyes that Sy picked up on. "Happier than she's ever been..."

Syrus frowned, knowing what he was thinking. "I know...maybe she can feel happy for a while, at least..."

Bobby patted Sy on the shoulder. "Yeah. I'm going to sneak out of here. Mom and Dad won't be up for another hour, at least. I'm going to be working for a little bit until they do...we've got a full day ahead."

Sy blinked. "Working on what?"

"Just a graphic, nothing fancy. Just something for fun," Bobby explained. "You can check it out if you want," he offered.

"Uh, okay." Syrus had to admit that he was curious.

The 21-year-old led Sy down to his bedroom, which had white walls and posters of old rock bands. His bed wasn't made, but his floor was clean. There was a computer in the room and it was on. "Here it is," Bobby said. On the screen was a sports team logo. "It's for a possible graphic for the Seattle Neo-Sonics. If we get a new NBA team, that is."

"Whoa...that looks great, Bobby! But why do you have to sneak out?"

Bobby blinked, and then laughed. "Oh, I meant out of Annie's room...I didn't want us to wake her. I'm surprised you didn't sleep in this morning," he grinned. "And thanks!"

"Oh. Well, like I said, I'm kind of nervous. I mean...it's hard to sleep when you're nervous," he explained, grinning sheepishly.

"It's all right...It's been almost nine years since we had an NBA team here...Stupid Oklahoma City Thunder owners," Bobby growled.

"What do you mean?"

"The Oklahoma City Thunder were once the Seattle Sonics. The owners bought the franchise, saying that they loved Seattle and then...they moved the team..."

"Why did they do that??"

"Because they intended to take the team all along...they just were lying...well, the Seattle area was and is pretty sore about it. It's been a long time, but when it comes to sports teams and things about them, we have a tendency to get and stay mad."

"That's not right...so, they're going to try making a new team, then?" Syrus asked, glancing at the logo.

"Yeah. There are talks going on with the NBA and with any luck, we'll have a new team in the next year. I hope so...What kind of sports do you like? And that includes what you like to watch, by the way."

"Well...I like watching baseball and basketball. Annie's been trying to get me into football, but it's not really my thing," he explained.

"That's all right. Annie and Mom and Dad and I love football, but it's not for everybody. Annie mentioned you play a little soccer..."

Syrus blushed lightly. "Yeah, I played it more as a kid, though. It's the only sport I'm good at..."

Bobby smiled. "For the record, I suck at something you're good at. I can't duel."

Sy sweat-dropped. "Well, there's probably plenty of things I suck at and you're good at."

"And there are plenty of things you're good at that I suck at," Bobby countered, laughing. He looked at the clock. "You should probably head back to Annie's room. She loves waking up with you...And last night, she didn't wake up screaming."

"All right...thanks again, Bobby." Syrus then left the room, and went back into Annie's. Even though he was still in a regular T-shirt, he crawled under the covers next to her.

Annie awoke about 5 minutes later. "Mmmm...good morning, Syrus. Happy 4th of July," she whispered, kissing him.

"Morning, Annie. Happy 4th of July to you, too," he replied, kissing back.

"I didn't wake you last night, did I?"

"No, don't worry." Truth was she had, but he'd pretended to be asleep.

"I did, didn't I? I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it, Annie. I understand...it's not your fault," Syrus whispered, hugging her.

She cuddled close to him. "How did I get so lucky? Oh...you're going to love today..."

He smiled. "So are you, Annie. What's first, after breakfast?"

"Well, Daddy's going to take us to where using fireworks is legal and we can light a few off! He'll let us bring back sparklers and a few other things that don't make noise, but we'll light off more noisy stuff where we're going!"

"That sounds great! Let's get dressed...I'm hungry for your mom's breakfast."

Annie nodded. "I'm going to get a quick shower. Mom and Dad aren't up yet, so we've got time."

"Okay." Syrus got out of bed for the second time that morning, and started looking for a pair of pants.

Annie headed into her large bathroom and got a shower and then dressed in a red, white and blue sundress. Today was a nice day and it wouldn't be overly warm, according to the weather forecast, but it would be warm enough. She put on some make-up and then walked out of the bathroom. "Sy? Do I look all right?"

Syrus had pulled on a pair of light blue shorts, turning to look at her. "Wow, Annie! You look great! Uh, do I?"

Annie smiled. "You look absolutely handsome..."

He blushed at the compliment. "Thanks, uh...you think your parents are up yet?"

"Annie, Sy, are you two awake yet?" Kathy called, knocking on the door at that moment.

"Yes, Mom, we're awake and dressed," Annie called back.

Kathy came in, still in her pajamas. "Well, that beats me and your father, honey. Did you sleep okay?"

"I did...but I must've woke Sy up..."

"Like I said, it's okay, Annie. It wasn't your fault," he replied, placing an arm around her.

Annie smiled. "Yeah...I know..."

"Okay, kids, I'll bet you're hungry. Is Bobby awake?"

"Yes, Mom," Bobby called, coming out of his room. He'd showered and was in a t-shirt and shorts. "We let you and Dad sleep in...Hey, where is Dad?"

"Right here!" Alex stated cheerfully, appearing behind Bobby.

"Happy 4th of July, guys!" Annie said happily. "Are we going to get the fireworks, Daddy?"

"Yup. Right after breakfast. Speaking of that, what's on the menu for today, honey?" he asked, turning to his wife.

Kathy smiled. "I'm going to make a Dutch Baby. Sy, that's a big puffy sort of pancake that you make in the oven..."

"And then you put cinnamon and sugar on it and whipped cream and fruit!" Annie added.

"Annie...chill," Bobby grinned at his sister's enthusiasm.

"That sounds really good, Kathy!" Syrus replied, grinning.

It took about 20 minutes to make breakfast and about thirty minutes to eat it. "Mmmm...great, Mom!" the Hanson kids said happily.

"Well, thank you!" Kathy said. "You kids...and Sy, you sure ate a lot! I'll bet you eat and don't gain a pound!"

"Well, yeah, actually. When I asked mom about it, she said Zane and I have fast metabolisms...I think," he replied.

Alex grinned. "Not many people have that. But a lot want it."

"Yeah, I'd love it," Annie said.

"So would I," Kathy added.

"I'll probably want it when I'm in my thirties," Bobby added.

Syrus blushed a little. "It's not all that great. I get hungry a lot and have to eat a lot if I don't want to get too skinny."

Annie grinned. "If the weather gets cooler, I'll make you an apple pie. Do you like apple pie, Syrus?"

"Yeah! Mom makes them sometimes, and they're really good," he replied, smiling.

"That sounds delightful, Annie. Well, why don't we go get those fireworks?" asked Alex.

"YEAH!" Annie cheered, and then blushed. Everyone cracked up.

"You go from being shy to being so enthusiastic...What happened to my little girl?" Kathy said, slightly teasing.

"I don't know...Sy?"

"Uh, well, I guess we both bring out our outgoing sides??" he offered.

"M-maybe...or maybe it's Jaden and Violet," she said. "They both seem to bring out our...I don't know what to call it..."

"Hidden qualities?" offered Alex. "Maybe," Syrus mused.

Annie giggled. "Violet made a prankster out of me..."

"I broke some rules whenever I was with Jaden," Sy admitted, flushing.

Bobby grinned. "Yup...it was partly them...but it was you, too...Annie's always been so timid about breaking rules, but she always wanted to..."

Kathy smiled. "It's all right, you two...Now go have fun!"

"Daddy, take us to the reservation near Poulsbo!" Annie begged excitedly.

"All right. Let's go get in the car." So, the group of two Hansons and Syrus got into Alex's car, and he headed for the reservation.

"We're taking the ferry today, Sy!" Annie said happily as they left the house in Alex's Land Rover.

"To the reservation?" he asked.

"Yeah! It's on one of the San Juan Islands and it's really nice up there!"

"Cool." So, after some driving, they reached the Coleman Ferry Dock in Seattle.

"All right kids, we have about five minutes until the ferry unloads. You can step out and look but don't go too far from the car, okay?" Alex explained as they sat in the car in a long line.

"We won't, Daddy," Annie said. The car was in a huge line with a bunch of other cars and the teens looked at the huge boat. "This is a newer ferry, and it went into service about 5 years ago. Some of the ferries have been in service for 40 years or more..."

"Really? How old are some of them??" asked Syrus.

"The oldest one in the fleet was 45 years old when it was taken out of service last year. They thought it couldn't take another year on the water. These ferries are used year-round," she explained.

"Wow...that's a long time..." The kids climbed back into the car and were finally able to drive on, and about a minute later the ferry started out across the water.

"If you want, Sy, we can get out of the car and walk up to the deck and get something to drink," Annie said.

"We can? Okay!" he replied.

They got out and Annie led Sy to the doors to a stairwell. Alex followed behind them. "Sy, the stairs are kind of steep. Hang onto the railing!" Annie warned, gripping the railing and glad she'd worn sneakers.

Syrus complied, and was glad he listened. Had it not been for the railing, he probably would have fallen back down the stairs. "Why are they so steep??"

"God only knows," Annie answered, puffing a little bit.

"Are you okay, Annie? We don't need to go up there..."

They moved up. "It's...okay," she answered. "I want to..." They made it up the stairs to the upper deck. Part of it was closed and heated so people could work on their computers, talk on their mobile phones, or enjoy a quiet drink. Annie headed to a vending machine and selected a soda. "Sy, what would you like?"

"Uh...do they have Sierra Mist??"

Annie smiled. "Yup!" And she got a can of it for him. "Here you go!"

"Thanks, Annie." He opened it and took a sip, glancing out the window. "Hey, is that the island?"

"No, it'll be a little bit. This is an archipelago, a group of islands. We're a ways away from the island we need to get to." They sat down in a booth, Annie's dad going elsewhere to give his daughter and her boyfriend some privacy.

"It's almost like we're on the Duel Academy ferry," Sy remarked.

"Yeah...there are differences, though," she said, blushing slightly.

"Like what?" he asked, also blushing.

"Well, first off...we're on the ferry during the summer." Annie was nervous and that was the first thing out of her mouth.

"Oh, yeah. Uh, is that it?" Syrus wanted to know what she was thinking.

Annie swallowed. 'Oh, darn! Why isn't this like in the movies? Oh, wait, this is how it is in romantic comedies,' she thought ruefully. "Well, no...there are other things, too. This ferry has cars on it..." 'LAME!' her mind yelled at her.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh, how about the fact that we're on a lake instead of the ocean?"

"Uh, Sy...we are on an ocean...sort of..."

"Huh? We are??" he asked, confused.

Annie sweat-dropped. "Uh...yeah. We're on Puget Sound and that's from the Pacific...I'll have to show you a map of how it all works. I've grown up with all these bodies of water around me...I guess I don't think about it much...Sorry..."

"It's okay. I'm just used to there only being the ocean," he admitted.

"Well," Annie swallowed again. "The most important thing is...at least...on this ferry...we're together for the first ride..."

"Yeah...you're right," he smiled and kissed her cheek. They sat in the chair together for the next 15 minutes and then it was time to head back down to the car. Alex walked in front of the kids on the way back down so if someone tripped he could catch them. Fortunately, they made it back without incident and were soon driving toward the reservation.

"Sy, what kinds of fireworks do you like?" Annie asked.

"Well, I don't like the ones that make a lot of noise. The colorful and bright ones are my favorites."

"Okay...we'll get some sparklers and smoke bombs and some fountains...there are a few I like that make some noise, but not too much...if that's okay..."

"Yeah, that's fine," he replied, smiling.

"Well, we're here you two," stated Alex as he parked.

They each got out of the car and went into the Suquamish Indian reservation. "ALL RIGHT!" Annie whooped. "Oh, wait...Bobby isn't here...I don't have to feign enthusiasm for M-80s..."

Syrus's jaw dropped. "M-M-80s??"

"They're a quarter-stick of dynamite...Occasionally fun...but not in large doses..."

"I knew what they were, but...I didn't know you could buy them..."

"Yeah...on Indian reservations..." She led him up to the counter and asked, "Do you and Zane get fireworks?"

"Sometimes, but he or Dad usually went to get them. I'd stay home and help Mom get the food ready for the Rhodes' party," he explained.

"Oh, you guys hung out with Atticus and Alexis?"

"Yeah. Their parents would have a party and we'd get together at their house. Eat, set off fireworks, use the Slip n Slide—" He abruptly stopped, grimacing at an old memory.

"The Slip n Slide?" Annie suddenly had a thought. "What happened?"

Syrus winced. "Atticus...bushes...swim trunks..."

Annie looked at him...and cracked up. "Oh, my gosh! He lost his pants!!!"

"Yeah...and it wasn't pretty. A lot like the Speedo incident at school, but...worse."

Annie grinned. "His mom should've told Dorothy not to sell him the Speedo..."

"Yeah..." They purchased the fireworks they wanted and headed back to the car.

"You kids all set?" asked Alex after they'd lit off a few Roman Candles, not legal in Medina city limits.

"Yeah, Daddy! We've got everything that won't bug the neighbors...Oh, we have to take the long way back, don't we?" She knew security on the ferries was very tight and bomb-sniffing dogs wouldn't react well to fireworks.

"I'm afraid so, honey. At least you two will get to see some more scenery," he replied. They loaded the fireworks into the trunk and got in, Alex heading off towards the freeway.

They got on the road and it was after 12:30 when they got to a bridge connecting the islands with the mainland. "I love this!" Annie said, looking at the scenery.

"Wow," Sy breathed. The water looked beautiful as they drove over the bridges. Then, some squeaks could be heard, and a silver-gray and black dolphin leapt out of the water.

"Oh, wow! We almost never see Pacific Dolphins this close!" Annie squealed.

"I've never seen one before...they're really pretty," Syrus stated as another jumped and did a flip in mid-air.

"Yeah...they almost never come this close to the islands..." And then another sight... "WOW!" An orca whale had just jumped out of the water, too. It was a huge whale with black and white markings, contrasting with the smaller dolphins who wore gray and black markings. "Sy, WOW!!!"

His eyes were the size of dinner plates. "That's amazing! I didn't even know they could come this close!!" As the whale landed, it sent a large spray of saltwater at the bridge, soaking the land rover. Annie was glad they were on a lower bridge, and then they were on a paved road on another island. "That was so cool, Annie! I'm glad we had to take the long way," stated Syrus happily.

"Me, too," she said, squeezing his hand. They stopped for a bit to pick up some lunch and then were back on the open road. Somewhere between Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace, Annie dozed off. Syrus yawned, glancing at Annie. He smiled when he realized she'd fallen asleep on his shoulder. Deciding he might as well get some shut-eye, he soon followed suit.

The kids got an hour of sleep as Alex drove them home. Finally he pulled into the Medina home and called softly to Bobby and Kathy to get the kids. "Aw...they fell asleep," Kathy whispered as they opened the car doors.

"I'll get Sy, Dad," Bobby said. "You can get Annie..."

"All right." Alex lifted his daughter into his arms and headed inside, followed by Bobby carrying Syrus.

"Sy hasn't slept well, and neither has Annie...We'll just let them sleep...Did you stop for lunch?" Kathy asked as the men set Annie and Sy on Annie's big bed.

"Yeah. I think a full stomach and the car ride is what did 'em in. Always works," he replied smiling.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

It was another hour before Annie awoke. "Huh? Where? Oh..." She looked over at Sy and smiled, trying to get out of bed quietly.

Syrus yawned and turned over, remaining asleep. "Hope…you...like…it," he mumbled. Annie smiled, assuming he'd been dreaming of something they'd done together. He then woke up, opening his eyes a little and yawning again. Syrus rubbed the drowsiness from them and looked around, eyes meeting Annie's. "Oh, hi, Annie...we're back already?"

"Hi, Sy...Oh, I woke you up..."

"No, don't worry. I was probably going to get up soon, anyway....what time is it?"

Annie looked at the clock. "Oh, it's almost 5...we slept awhile..."

"You think we could set off those fireworks?" Syrus asked, climbing out of the bed.

"Yeah...urgh...I feel grungy..."

"That's what happens when I take naps, too. I usually wash my face with some water to wake up." Annie nodded and headed into her bathroom. It had a double sink so that she and Sy could splash their faces together. Syrus followed her in and turned on the faucet, gathering some cold water into his hands and then splashing his face. "Brrr…it's cold, but the best way."

Annie had some slightly warm water on and splashed it. "Yeah...this is good...I might take a bath tonight after the fireworks, though..." She blushed, remembering what had happened in Domino.

He blushed as well, quickly drying his face off to hide it. "Uh, maybe I'll take a shower after you're done..."

"My bathroom has a shower stall and a soaking tub," she reminded him. "You and I could get clean and then be ready for bed at the same time..." And then the implication of that hit her. "Uh..."

His blush intensified, and he glanced at the floor. "Uh, well, if you don't mind..."

"What?" she asked.

"Using the same bathroom...at the same time..."

"You're...uh...oh, crud..."

"What?" he asked.

"It's still a big deal, isn't it?"

"Well, uh, I just don't want to rush things...unless you're okay with it..."

"I'm okay if you're okay...I mean...there's not too much left for us since we've already seen each other..."

"Then, all right..."

Annie nodded. "But if you're not okay...I won't...uh..." she stammered.

"No, it's okay...I'm okay with it...really..."

"Uh...okay..." Annie blushed sweetly. They headed outside and began lighting fireworks. Alex was cooking on the barbeque by 7 PM and Annie's mom brought out homemade potato salad. She also brought a homemade fruit tart made to look like an American flag. She topped it with sparklers which made the dessert look dramatic.

"Nice, Mom!" Bobby said.

"Annie always has wanted me to make this, so thank your sister, Bobby..." Bobby grinned at Annie and patted her shoulder.

"You made that for me, Mom?"

"Mmmhmm...I hope you liked the dinner, Sy...you seemed to eat plenty." They'd had chicken, burgers, beef ribs, corn on the cob, grilled vegetables and potato salad.

"Yeah! It was all delicious, just like back home," he replied, smiling. Syrus then turned to Annie. "When are the firework displays gonna go off?"

"Not until about 10...another hour and a half...we can dance around with sparklers and light off some fountains..."

"Okay!" So, Alex lit some silver sparklers and handed them out, Syrus trying to spell his name.

Annie, for her part, drew hearts in the air. "Oh, Sy...you've never seen me do my routine! I have to show you!"

"Annie, are you okay to do that?" Kathy asked, concerned.

"It's just my slow routine, Mom...to 'Laputa...'"

"Oh, all right, then..."

Annie went and grabbed an mp3 player with attached speakers and set it down on the concrete. "Sy, could you sit down and watch me?"

"Uh, sure, Annie." He waited until his sparkler ran out, then sat down on the grass.

Annie pulled two sparklers known as Morning Glories from the bag of fireworks. They were wrapped in brightly colored paper and they sparkled in different colors. Kathy hit the play button and an orchestral piece called "The Girl Who Fell From the Sky" played from one of Annie's favorite movies. She moved gracefully and slowly with the music and twirled to a stop as the sparklers died, dipped them in water and then bowed to her audience. Everyone clapped, and Syrus stood to hug her. "That was beautiful, Annie! You can dance great..."

"Thanks, Sy...I knew you'd say that..." She kissed him happily and then Bobby lit off several fountains. Before they knew it, it was nearing 10 o'clock. "Oh, they're about to start!" Annie cheered.

"Cool! Which one's first?" Syrus asked as they sat near the lakeshore.

"We'll see the McCaw Cellular, and then the Gasworks park and the Kirkland display and then the Bellevue display and then the Woodmark Hotel...they all kind of start at the same time..."

"Oh....well, where's the Kirkland display gonna be?" he asked. 'This is gonna be harder than I thought,' Syrus thought worriedly.

Annie pointed down the lake. "We're just able to see it from here." Then she remembered something. She picked up her mp3 player and switched it so it would get the local radio signals. "It doesn't matter which display we watch because one of the radio stations plays music to all the displays...And it's all sci-fi music I like!" She pulled something from underneath the mp3 radio. It was a sheet of paper. "I printed out what they're playing and the finale is from one of the Star Trek movies! It's a really pretty piece of music!"

'That's it!' he thought, smiling. "Sounds great...oh, look! It's starting!!" They sat and listened and watched. And finally the four-minute piece of music, the "Star Trek: Generations Overture" that Annie loved played. "This is it!"

'This is it!' thought Syrus. He swallowed nervously, reaching into his pocket as the music played triumphantly. He had grabbed the ring from his suitcase before they went outside to light fireworks. He turned to face her, their faces illuminated by the fireworks. "Uh, Annie..."

"Yeah, Sy?" Annie turned to look at him as the music went from triumphant to soft and magical in tone, her face illuminated.

Syrus pulled out the small, dark blue box and held it out to her. It took a moment for him to find the words he needed to say. Sure, he'd thought out the perfect proposal, but now he couldn't remember a word of it! So he finally just decided to say what was on his mind. "Uh, uh, Annie...will you…m-marry me?" he asked, opening the box to reveal the ring.

Annie gasped. "S-Sy! Oh, my gosh!!" Her eyes were wide with happiness and love. "Am I dreaming?!" And as the music went triumphant again, she said, "Yes!"

He smiled, filled with more joy than he ever thought possible as he slipped the ring onto her finger. "Annie, I love you!" Syrus stated, pulling her into a full-on passionate kiss. Annie leaned into the kiss strongly and her parents and brother clapped in delight. And for that night, everything was just perfect.

_And so ends the four groups' Fourth of July celebrations. They've had a lot of fun together… Next time… "The Return." We will be returning to Ohio. See you next time, and please read and review. Thank you!_


	75. The Return

Chapter LXXV: The Return

_Hello again, everyone! We're so glad you enjoyed our heroes' Fourth of July celebrations. Bastion's slight insanity with fireworks was, admittedly Peach's idea because she knows what it is to be rather straight-laced and want to pretend to break the rules. Anyway everyone miraculously survived the Fourth of July. So thank you, everyone, for reviewing and reading! We love knowing you still like our story, after all this time. We'd like to wish our American fans a happy and safe Thanksgiving! So, on with the story!_

_**Disclaimer: Uh…we won't repeat ourselves. We'd like to thank the good people at WebMD, Medicine Net and a few other sources for medical information. Thanks a bunch!**_

_**Warning: This chapter contains violence. We believe it is still within the T rating, but we need a warning, nevertheless.**_

_**Authors' note: If you need a mental picture of Miss Cherri Blossom, just take a look at Chiyo Mihama from "Azumanga Daioh," and then picture her with pink hair and violet eyes. On with the chapter! **_

July 5th should've been a happy day with the usual miseries of overeating and paying for it. It should've been a day for newly engaged couples to revel in their status and celebrate. It shouldn't have ended the way that it did. But the day started happily. It was 9 in the morning in Ohio when the phone rang. Alan picked up. "Good morning, Haverbrook residence."

In Medina, Washington, Annie Hanson yawned and smiled. "Good morning, Alan, this is Annie Hanson."

"Oh, hi, Annie! I'll bet you want to talk to Violet."

"Yeah...I have huge news..."

Alan smiled. "It's time she got up anyway...hang on..." Alan went up to Violet's room and tried waking her up in a conventional manner.

Bastion woke up to that. "Oh...good morning, Alan...Er...is something the matter?"

"Violet's got a phone call from Annie..."

"Oh...Violet?" Bastion coaxed, but his love wasn't waking up. "Now what?"

Alan thought. "Bobby?" he called, instituting Plan B for Bobby.

Bobby walked over. "Problems waking Vi again, Dad? Just like old times," he replied, pulling a mini air horn out of his back pocket. "Oh Violet...wake up!" Bobby yelled, blowing the air horn. Violet's eyes snapped wide open and she yelped, clinging to Bastion like a frightened cat might.

"Ouch," Bastion grunted, feeling Violet's fingernails.

Violet blinked, finally realizing what had happened and releasing Bastion from her death grip. "Bobby! Why you..."she growled, about ready to strangle him.

"Don't worry, I already got punished," he replied, wincing. Apparently, he had also scared the two cats sleeping on Violet's bed. One was stuck to his head and the other to his arm.

Bastion laughed at the sight and said, "Violet darling, don't be too hard on him...Annie's on the phone."

"Oh, okay!" she said happily. Violet took the phone while Alan tried to help Bobby pry off the cats. "Hi ya, Annie! It's been a while!!"

"Hi, Violet!" Annie said happily. "I hope I didn't call too early, but I wasn't sure if you were going out this morning. I couldn't wait to tell you! SY ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM LAST NIGHT!!!"

Bastion, hearing Annie's yell, smiled and muttered, "Good show, Syrus..."

Violet winced and pulled the phone away from her ear, a large grin plastered onto her face. "Annie! You silly, I'M the one who's supposed to yell!! But anyway, congrats, girl! Looks like you're not the odd-couple-out anymore!!"

"Sorry, Violet, I'm just so excited! He planned the whole thing...he timed it with the fireworks displays and...oh, you aren't going to believe this...Do you know how in movies, the couple gets their happy ending when the music gets all dramatic and happy?"

"Uh, yeah?" Violet replied, momentarily puzzled.

"That's what happened! We were listening to the music that went with the displays and it was so weird and wonderful at the same time...the music was quiet and sweet when he started to ask me and then it got all happy again when I was too choked up to answer. And then...I said yes, the music got more dramatic and then...we kissed. And the music ended. It was just like out of a movie!" Annie was very unusual and this was one of those moments where it showed.

"That's awesome, Annie! Looks like the best for last, huh?" Violet stated with a grin. To her, Annie's unusualness was normal, seeing as how unusual she herself was.

"Huh?" Annie asked, not understanding.

"Well, what I meant was, uh...hm..." Violet frowned, thinking for a few moments. "I guess the best way to put it is you had the cutest proposal, even though it was the last."

"I thought the way Bastion asked you was perfect," Annie countered. "Well, what did you guys do yesterday?"

"It was awesome! We lit off all these fireworks and had a barbecue and went swimming!! Bastion-baby's VERY cute when he gets mischievous," she explained, grinning.

Annie smiled. "Do I want to know?" she asked in a teasing voice.

Bastion heard that and took the other line. "It's fireworks-related, Annie. Kindly remove your mind from the gutter..."

"Sure, Bastion," Annie teased.

Violet blinked, the meaning of her words registering. "Oh, Annie! Really!! Geez..."

Annie was cracking up. "I couldn't resist...Besides, the silent types are very fun," she added mysteriously. "Bastion, off the phone, now." Bastion wisely hung up.

Violet sweat-dropped. "Oh yeah? Well, then, the same goes for Sy!"

"Yup...I know..."

The girl in Ohio blinked, then sighed. "I think we should probably stop this conversation before it gets out of hand. My dad's standing right here!"

"So's mine," Annie giggled. "He's getting coffee...Nothing much happened...but Sy is a really good kisser!"

"Well, so is Bastion-baby! At least, he's a lot better than Mike was."

Annie giggled again. "Isn't it great to have fiancés we can trade notes on?"

Violet grinned. "You bet it is!"

"Yeah! So what are you doing today?" Annie asked, coming off of her emotional romantic high.

"Well, Bastion-baby, Cherri, and I were gonna go up to Dad's shop. Bastion-baby wants to see it and some of the stuff Dad does," she explained, smiling.

"Oh, wow! That sounds awesome! We're just going to take it easy today...Daddy and Bobby are working and Mom, Sy and I are going to just chill. We might go to the Bellevue Square Mall and do some window shopping, but that's it," Annie said. "You're going to have so much fun!"

"I know, I can't wait!" she replied, grinning. "Well, you might want to get off the phone, then. We have to get going soon and still have to eat breakfast," stated Bobby.

Alan laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "Give them a couple of minutes, Bobby...it's never wise to rush women when they're celebrating being engaged. Your mom talked with her best friend for over an hour."

Bobby sighed. "Fine..."

Annie asked, "Violet, do you need to go?"

"Uh, yeah. Dad and Bobby like getting to work early," she replied.

"Okay! Well have a fun day with the guys!" Annie said happily and the girls hung up.

"All right, Violet, you know what to wear. Bastion, dress casually, and wear something you won't mind getting messed up, all right?" Alan instructed.

Bastion nodded. "I'll have an opportunity to try something?"

"You've got it."

"Brilliant..." Bastion breathed. "Cheers, Alan."

"All right, now out you two! We need to get dressed!!" stated Violet. She hopped out of bed and half-pushed Bobby and Alan from the room, closing the door.

Bastion smiled. "Violet, I think I'll need some guidance on what to wear, darling. What do Bobby and Alan usually wear?"

"I'll find something! Hang on!!" she replied, digging through his suitcase. Violet tossed a pair of jeans onto the bed and a gray T-shirt, then started giggling.

Bastion looked at Violet curiously. "Love, what is it?"

Violet stood, turning to smirk at him. In her hands was a pair of red boxers with chemistry cylinders on them. "You'd look so cute in these!"

Bastion flushed, as much as he ever did. "Oh, my...you'd like it if I wore those?" he asked curiously.

She was blushing, but grinning all the same. "You could wear those...or these." Violet brought her other hand from behind her back to show a pair of white boxers covered in mini-Hydrogeddons.

Bastion flushed more and grinned sheepishly. "Well, darling...you can choose today...which would you prefer that I wear?"

"Hm…these!" she replied, handing him the Hydrogeddon boxers.

Bastion smiled. "All right...I'll wear those for you..." He headed into the bathroom and changed out of his pajamas. He came out of the bathroom in his boxers. "Do they look all right?"

Violet had just been slipping off her pajama bottoms, giving Bastion a clear view of her spaceship underwear. She blushed and sweat-dropped at the coincidence. "Uh, yeah. You look great in them!" Violet replied, quickly pulling on a pair of jean capris.

"Er...do you mind a compliment?" he asked, flushing.

She blushed a little more at the question. "Uh, no. Go right ahead..."

"You look well in your...undergarment as well," he said, stuttering slightly.

Violet's face was very red by this point, but she smiled. "Thanks, Bastion-baby...uh, maybe you should slip on some clothes." He looked VERY cute in those boxers...

"Yes...I should do that," he said, also blushing. He pulled on the jeans and grey shirt Violet had suggested, wondering what she would put on today. She didn't take off her necklace, he noticed. In fact, Violet hadn't taken it off since he'd given it to her, not even in the shower.

She pulled off her pajama top, slipping on a white bra and then a lavender T-shirt. "Well, I'm ready..."

"Violet, darling, you look absolutely splendid!" Bastion praised, and they headed down to breakfast.

"Morning you two! Sleep well?" greeted Barbara. She was finishing up the eggs for breakfast, Alan, Haylee, and Bobby sitting at the table. "Yup! Though I had a rude awakening..." Violet replied, sending a glare at Bobby.

"Oh, it was invigorating," Bastion said, trying to quell the tension. "Except I believe that Bobby and I suffered various puncture wounds from...different sources..."

Violet sweat-dropped as they sat down, the cats, Coco and Loki, looking innocent as ever beside their food bowls. "Well, eat up. If I know my boys, they're going to show you how it's done," stated Barbara, smiling. She served scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast for everyone, and they ate breakfast.

Alan grinned as he picked up a slice of bacon. "Bastion, are you looking forward to today?"

"You bet! I'm rather curious about automobile detailing and I'd love to see how it all works. I've seen visuals of how it's done on the Internet, but...I've never actually seen it up close...I'm honored you'd let me near the place..."

Bobby couldn't help but laugh a little. "Think nothin' of it, Bastion! No one's ever wanted to watch us work, so we're kind of glad you want to," he explained.

"It's just a family business, that's all," added Barbara.

"It's a family business, but...it's not the business I've been used to," Bastion answered.

"You wanna do it?" Haylee asked happily.

"Yes...I'm very curious, Haylee..."

"Then you better show him the works, Dad!" stated Violet, grinning. A few minutes later they finished breakfast and headed out to pile into Alan's truck.'

Bastion had the excited look of a little boy who was going to Disneyland for the first time. "This should be wonderfully educational...will we be using large paint guns?"

"Paint...guns?" asked Violet, confused.

Bobby couldn't help but laugh again. "We don't paint cars, Bastion. We might do decals, but we don't paint them," he explained. First, they were heading for Cherri's house to pick her up, since Violet would be bored otherwise.

"Oh, what do you do then?" Bastion was really interested now.

"Well, we might install a sound system, radios, speakers, DVD players, TVs....all the luxury stuff. We can also fix things like headlights and steering or brake problems."

"Oh! It's more mechanical, then! I'd love to know how to do all that...I understand it's quite difficult to install the more modern headlights. Do you add in halogen lights?" he asked curiously.

"Yup. Dad put those in Mom's car, they're really popular," Bobby replied. They finally reached Cherri's house, which was about half the size of Violet's and painted white. Cherri came running out, waving her arms happily.

"VIOLET-ANI!!" Cherri shouted happily. Today her hair was in pigtails, making her look a little younger than her thirteen years. "HI BASTION!!!"

"Hello, Cherri! Good morning," Bastion greeted.

Violet hugged Cherri after she got in the car, grinning as they now headed for Alan's store. "Cherri-ani! I'm so glad you could come!!"

"Me too! Car work is so fun! Car work is so fun! Now it's time to go and see and know what must be done! Yay for Bastion!" she sang happily.

Bobby groaned a little and muttered "girls" under his breath from the front seat.

"You're getting better, Cherri-ani!" stated Violet happily.

"Thanks, Violet-ani! Bastion, you really want to learn car stuff?"

"Yes, don't you?"

"Maybe...I want to learn all sorts of stuff!"

"You should have seen her when we used to go to library together. She ended up reading almost every book in there! From kids to teens to adults and everything in between!!" explained Violet.

Bastion's eyes widened, looking at the smaller girl. "Did...did you ever read about dueling?"

"YEAH! I read all about it and boy, it's neat! But I think I'll let you guys duel and save the world..."

"Save the world?" Bastion and Alan asked at the same moment for different reasons.

"Yeah! I read about ancient Egyptian dueling." Luckily, no more was said on the subject because they'd reached the store. It was the first of two joint buildings, the second being a hair salon. The first had a large front window with security bars behind it, protecting a large display of rims and tires. On the window was painted "Hellraizing Sound Systems," and an alley alongside the building led to a garage.

"Oh my," Bastion breathed. "This is going to be, as Jaden and you put it, Violet darling, sweet..."

"Violet-ani said it first!" Cherri said happily.

Violet giggled a little, and the group of five headed inside. The interior was extremely modern, with glass and metal shelves. They held everything from speakers to stereos to decals, and off to the side were two columns of tires resting beside two mini-motorbikes. In a corner was a closed-off area showing more stereos, and a hallway led to the back garage. "Dad's storefront is a lot bigger than mine, but a little old-fashioned," stated Bobby.

"Just because it's old-fashioned, Bobby, doesn't make it better or worse," Alan countered, smiling. Bastion elbowed Bobby, silently reminding him of a need to distract Violet so Bastion could order a model of a very special car.

Bobby grinned. "Hey, you two don't really find this sort of thing interesting, right?" he asked.

"Nah, this is more your and Dad's thing," answered Violet.

"Then why don't you two go get some ice cream at the store down the street? Maybe it'll keep you occupied for a while," Bobby offered.

"ICE CREAM!!" Cherri squealed excitedly.

Alan looked at Cherri and sighed. "Does she need it?"

"Yeah I do! Why?"

"Ice cream! Hooray!!" shouted Violet, pumping her fists into the air. "Please, Dad? We can ride our bikes there!"

Alan sighed, surrendering to the inevitable. "Okay, go ahead. Do you girls have cell phones?"

"My cell phone...never leave home without it!" Cherri grinned. Bastion had to hide his face in his hands for a moment as Cherri was making him want to laugh uncontrollably.

Violet blinked, poking Bastion's arm. "Something wrong, Bastion-baby? You're shaking," she said. Bobby smiled knowingly, having gone through the same thing before.

That did it. Bastion couldn't hold back and started cracking up. Cherri came up and poked his arm too. "Bastion...you're funny! I like you!" And then she hugged his arm.

When Bastion finally had control of himself, he said, "You and Violet...oh, my...Cherri, you are delightful!"

"Thank you!" Cherri said. "Where are we going to go, Violet-ani?"

Violet was grinning, and gave Bastion a quick hug before answering. "Honey Hut, just down the street. I'll lead the way!" she explained, the two heading to the back garage for their bikes.

"Told you it would work, Bastion," whispered Bobby, grinning.

"Thanks, Bobby," Bastion said, and the boys went to work. Bastion placed the order for the model of the 2019 Ferrari Phoenix and then got to work with the Haverbrook men on installing a car stereo. But later, Bastion would regret having sent Violet off.

By this time, Violet and Cherri had reached the ice cream store. Violet's bike was a deep plum color and Cherri's was a dark magenta. "Aw...they're closed. But, there's always Mr. Freezies a few blocks away. Wanna go see if they're open?" asked Violet.

"Sure! Biking is so fun!" Cherri said happily, and then went on for the next couple of minutes about how bicycles worked.

Like all the other times Cherri had gone into these explanations, Violet tuned in and out at random as they rode. After taking a few turns, they arrived at the second store, which was- "Hooray! It's open!! Let's go stuff our faces with ice cream!" shouted Violet excitedly.

"YAY!" Cherri cheered. "This is great! There aren't any Mr. Freezies where I was living in Canada...there weren't even good doughnut shops..."

"Well, it's a good thing you came back then, right?" replied Violet as they walked in.

"Yeah! Oh, I don't know what to have...Mommy and I didn't go to 31 Flavors too often...What should I have, Violet-ani?"

Violet made a quick scan of the flavors, then grinned. "Cookie dough and chocolate are good! So's cookies 'n' cream!!"

"YAY! Cookies 'n' cream, Violet-ani! I love you...and I missed you!" The girls ordered their cones, sat down at a table and began to eat. "Yummy!" Cherri said, contentedly.

A few minutes later, they'd finished they're ice cream and went back outside. "Hey...where are our bikes?"

"We left them right here, Violet-ani..." Cherri was puzzled and then looked across the street. "Hey, they're over in that alley!" The girls ran across the street to the two bikes.

"I wonder who moved them...hey! Someone slashed the tires and broke the chain!! And just when we'd gotten it fixed," Violet groaned, kneeling beside hers.

"Well, well...it worked." And out of the shadows stepped Mike.

Cherri gasped. "Don't you dare hurt Violet-ani! Leave her alone, Mike! HELP!" The last part of the last word was cut off when a boy about 5 feet and 9 inches tall with blonde spiky hair grabbed Cherri and threw her against a building and knocked her out.

"Violet," Mike sneered. "You're alone...like you always were."

Violet had stood the moment she heard his voice, eyes wide with a mixture of shock and fear. "Cherri-ani!" she gasped, running over to her. However, a boy standing at six feet with a buzz cut roughly shoved her back to the center of the alley. Towards Mike. So, she turned to him, some of the fear and shock replaced by anger. "Mike! What do you want?!"

"To destroy you...you know that pathetic nerd will dump you eventually...he's not here to save you now," Mike sneered, stepping toward her menacingly.

Violet couldn't stop herself from taking a step back, reflexive from his step forward and his words. The fear had returned to her eyes, and could be seen through her shaking body. "D-Destroy me?? Mike, what are you talking about?! Why can't you leave me alone?"

Mike snapped his fingers. The big blonde boy grabbed her around the arms and held her fast. Buzz cut boy, meanwhile, gagged her with a bandana. "Now you can't cry for help," Mike growled and then punched Violet straight in the gut.

The punch ended up hitting very close to her scar, causing more pain than it originally would have. Violet crumpled as much as she could in her position, eyes closed tightly as she bit down on the bandana. 'It...hurts,' she thought, grimacing.

"He's not here to help you and even if he was, me and my crew could take him easily," Mike growled and hit her in the jaw. "You're worthless, and you always were...Triana was better than you at everything...and she let me do whatever I wanted..."

Violet's head snapped to the right, pulling out a muffled yell of pain. She remembered the few times Mike had asked her to do...things that were against the rules. Violet had always said no, of course. 'Bastion never...asked that,' she thought, regaining some happiness.

He hit her again. "Well, you weren't worth it...you're not worth even kissing...you weren't good at that at all...Let her drop..." The boys let her drop to the pavement and ungagged her, knowing that by now she'd be too weak to scream.

Violet clutched her stomach, which was still giving off waves of pain. Her face was red and likely going to bruise, and she could barely stay on her hands and knees. "W-Why are you...d-doing this?" she was just barely able to ask.

"Simple...I want you to know that you are weak, pathetic and nothing without me...and that's the way it will...what's this?" He had noticed the Watapon necklace and ripped it off her neck, breaking the chain and leaving a bad welt on her neck.

She gasped at the sudden pain, removing her arm from her stomach to place a hand on the welt. When Violet realized exactly what he'd taken, she instantly sat back on her knees. "N-No...give it back," she stammered, reaching out weakly.

"No one gave you permission to get up!" He pointed to her and one of the boys punched her, knocking her to the ground. Mike looked at the little thing and asked, "Is this something from that nerd of yours?"

Violet's fingers clutched at the ground, unable to get on hands and knees again. "I-It's my engagement present....g-give it back," she repeated.

Mike laughed. "Engagement present? Oh, man, he must be a total loser! And this," he growled, "is trash!" He dropped it on the ground and stomped the little Watapon charm, breaking it. "Broken...just like you're about to be..."

Her eyes snapped wide at the sound of it breaking, and she put her remaining strength into a desperate reach for it. 'I can't...I can't lose it like this!' she thought, stretching out her left arm.

Mike saw her move and stomped on her hand and wrist, breaking the wrist badly. "You're done, nothing..." And then he and his goons kicked her repeatedly until there was a cracking in her chest and one of those ribs punctured a lung.

Violet let out a weak scream as her wrist was broken, the pain overwhelming the kicks she felt. However, a sudden pain in her chest caused her to give another weak scream, quickly replaced by a few gasps. 'I can't...why can't I breathe...I,' she thought, her vision blurring.

"We're done guys...and so is she...Good-bye, nothing," Mike said as he and his thugs left the alley.

And then it started to rain, and that rain woke Cherri. "Ooooh..." she moaned softly, her head pounding from a concussion. "Violet-ani?" she moaned. She managed to lift her head and see her best friend, now unconscious. Cherri tried to stand, but was too weak. She saw fragments of the Watapon's crystal and that Violet's arm was swollen. But Violet's hand was closed around what was left of her engagement present. Cherri had enough strength to pull out her cell phone and call 911. She managed to say to the dispatcher. "Help...we're at..." she named the street. "Help..." and then she passed out.

_The cycle of pain has begun. Violet is very much in trouble. What will happen now, when Bastion finds out and the gang does as well? Next time: "Bad News and Hospital Rooms…" Until then, please read, review and stay tuned. Thank you!_


	76. Bad News and Hospital Rooms

Chapter LXXVI: Bad News and Hospital Rooms

_Hello everyone. We hope all of our American fans had a good Thanksgiving and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Mumbai, India in this time of crisis. We left last time on a sad and frightening note. Rather than recap, we will thank you again for hanging in with us and reading and reviewing! Mike will get his comeuppance and we will see what Bastion does. We promise you will be satisfied. Anyhow…onto the chapter!_

_**Authors' note: We owe thanks to WebMD and other medical websites for their invaluable information. Further, Bastion may seem (again) OOC, but in this situation, we think his logic will have understandably short-circuited. Thank you.**_

The phone rang at the Haverbrook house, and Barbara answered it. "Hello, Haverbrook residence. Barbara Haverbrook speaking."

"Mrs. Haverbrook, this is Jean Doreck at Cleveland General Hospital. Do you have a daughter named Violet?"

Barbara instantly stiffened, automatically knowing this couldn't be good. "Yes...did something happen??" she asked worriedly.

"Your daughter is being prepped for emergency surgery...you need to come immediately. She has suffered life-threatening internal injuries and needs surgery. Will you clear us to do it?"

Time seemed to come to a halt for Barbara, her eyes wide with sheer terror at the news. 'My baby...needs surgery?? Life-threatening injuries?!' she thought. "O-Of course. I'll just need to call my husband...we'll be there as soon as possible. T-Thank you for contacting us..."

"We'll do our best, Mrs. Haverbrook. Please hurry," the nurse said, and said good-bye. And Barbara had to make the call.

"Haylee, get your shoes and coat on! I'll explain in the car!!" called Barbara. She then shakily dialed the number for Alan's store, shaking slightly.

"Mommy?" Haylee's eyes were wide as she heard the tone in her mother's voice that had, a few weeks before, meant that Violet was in danger.

Meanwhile, at the auto shop, the phone rang. "Hello, Hellraizing Sound Systems, this is Alan," Alan Haverbrook greeted professionally.

"Al...it's me, Barb. I...oh, Al, our baby's in the hospital!" Barbara blurted out, tears brimming her eyes.

And Alan's face drained. "Barb...what happened? They just left for ice cream! What happened?!"

Bastion looked up from installing the headlight in a car with Bobby. "Alan?"

"I-I don't know, Al. I just got a call from the hospital, and...I-I had to give them permission for surgery!" explained Barbara.

Bobby had also been alarmed by his father's expression and tone. "Dad...?"

"No...I'll be right there...which hospital is it?"

Bastion's face turned very pale. "Hospital?"

"C-Cleveland General Hospital...Haylee and I will b-be there soon, too," Barbara replied, wiping at her eyes.

Bobby dropped the screw driver he'd been holding and went to Alan, worry etched across his face. "Dad, what happened?!"

"We'll be there...honey, I love you..." The parents said good-bye and Alan hung up the phone. "Boys...w-we have to close the shop for the day...Violet's..." He struggled. "Violet's been rushed to the hospital and she's heading into emergency surgery..."

Bastion couldn't say anything. 'No,' his mind cried out.

Bobby's face fell, and he had to lean against the wall. "E-Emergency surgery...? But," he muttered, unable to form a sentence.

"Your mother didn't know what was going on, b-but we need to get there..."

"How," Bastion whispered, anguished. His heart contracted painfully...and then he had a horrible feeling about what had happened. But he couldn't say anymore.

"Let's get in the truck," Alan said, his hands shaking.

"R-Right...Dad, you sure you c-can drive?" asked Bobby as they walked outside.

"I...I think so..." Alan gritted his teeth and got in the driver's seat. The two boys climbed in next to the man and they drove in silence to the hospital. When they got there, Barbara and Sakura Blossom were sitting together, locked in their own minds. Bobby quickly went to sit beside his mother, taking her hand as some form of comfort. She glanced sadly at him, but otherwise showed no change. Sakura merely continued to stare at the ground, just as worried about Cherri.

Finally a nurse came out. "Mrs. Blossom?"

Sakura looked up, eyes filled with worry. "Y-Yes?"

"You can see your daughter now...and there's a police officer waiting to take her statement..."

"Oh, thank goodness," she breathed, slightly relieved by the news. Sakura stood, turning a moment to face Barbara. "Barbara...don't worry, I'm sure she'll be okay," she soothed. After receiving a slight nod, Sakura quickly followed the nurse out of the waiting room.

Cherri was in a standard hospital bed when her mother came. "Mommy!" she cried, hugging tightly as soon as she could.

Sakura hugged her daughter back, close to tears. "Oh, Cherri, I was so worried...thank God you're okay..."

A police officer, a young woman with hair the color of Obelisk Blue blazers and green eyes was standing just outside the door. "Mrs. Blossom, I'd like to talk with your daughter for a few minutes if I may...I'm Rachel Edwards and I'm with the South Royalton Police Department."

Sakura turned to the officer, frowning. "Do I...have to leave the room?"

"No...Mommy..." Cherri's eyes were frightened.

"No, you don't have to leave, Mrs. Blossom...Cherri, it's all right," the officer soothed.

Sakura let out a relieved sigh, sitting in a chair beside Cherri's bed. "Don't be afraid, Cherri. Ms. Edwards is a police officer, she won't hurt you..."

"Okay," Cherri swallowed. "Officer Edwards...I know who hurt Violet..."

"You know the suspect who did that?"

Cherri nodded and said, "Yeah...it was a guy named Mike, and he's hurt her before..."

"He has?" And Cherri told the police officer everything that she had seen...

"And when I woke up...Violet was hurt real bad, but I hurt too much, and I couldn't help her...Mommy..." Cherri gripped her mother's hand tightly in pain and fear. Sakura gave her daughter's hand a comforting squeeze, knowing this had to be done.

"Thank you, Cherri...you're a very brave girl...this'll help us..."

"Thank you, Officer Edwards..." The police officer nodded. "Mommy?" Cherri asked. "Is Bastion here?"

"Yes he is, sweetie...he's probably very worried," she replied.

"Can I see him?" Cherri asked.

Sakura was taken by surprise, but nodded. "I'll have to leave for a bit, though. Is that all right?"

Cherri nodded. "You'll come right back, right?"

"Of course I will." Sakura stood, placing a kiss on Cherri's forehead before leaving the room. A few moments later she re-entered the waiting room. "Bastion...?"

"Yes, Sakura?" Bastion asked, standing up.

"Cherri wants to see you...is that okay?" she asked.

"Yes, of course..." Bastion went down to the room. "Cherri, how are you?" he asked, sitting down next to her bed.

She took his hand and started crying. "Bastion...Mike came back..."

And Bastion's suspicion had been proven as he hugged her gently. "I should've gone with you girls...he hurt you too?"

"One of his guys threw me into a wall..."

"His gang...Oh, Cherri..." Bastion was mentally berating himself for not being there.

"Bastion, it's not your fault...You couldn't have known he'd come after us...you saw him in Cleveland, not South Royalton..."

"I should've anticipated it, though..." And then they heard footsteps and a knock at the door.

The door opened just enough so that a red-headed nurse could poke her head in. "Excuse me, Bastion Misawa?"

"Yes?" Bastion asked, standing up.

The nurse walked in, carrying a plastic bag. "I'm Nurse Taylor, and we found this in Violet Haverbrook's possession. I showed it to her parents, and they said you should take it," she explained, holding out the bag to him.

Bastion took it. "No..."

Cherri looked up. "Mike broke it." "It" was the necklace that Bastion had picked out with love and care for Violet. He noticed the chain that held a now-broken Watapon had blood on it. "He ripped it off her neck," Cherri said. "I saw Violet holding it and her neck had a huge welt on it."

Bastion held the bag and the fragments. "Thank you, Nurse Taylor. Where did you find it?"

Nurse Taylor frowned deeply, though she'd seen cases like these before. "She was holding it, amazingly. Her wrist bone was shattered, but the doctor had to force open her hand to remove it. Luckily, her hand wasn't cut too badly by the broken crystal," she explained sadly.

Bastion held the bag. His eyes were pained, sad and angry at the same time. "Nurse...is there a soundproof place I can go to for a moment?"

"Bastion?" Cherri asked nervously.

"I don't...want to say something in front of you, Cherri. Is there a place, Nurse Taylor?"

She seemed to understand, and nodded. "Yes, there's a room we recently put in for relatives of patients. It's just down the hall, third door on your left," Nurse Taylor explained calmly.

"Thank you...I'll be right back, Cherri," he said, heading down the hall to the room. And for one of the few times in his life that he could remember, Bastion just lost control inside the room when the door shut behind him. For about ten minutes, he wasn't logical. He was a creature of raw emotion and he just cried and screamed until his throat was sore. When he emerged from the room, his eyes were red from crying and his face was pale. Bastion was badly shaken, and he felt wobbly as he made his way down the hall.

Alan Haverbrook, wondering how Bastion was doing, saw the boy looking as he did and ran to him. "Bastion! Oh, don't do what I think you're doing to yourself. You can go back and see Cherri when you look a little better, all right?" Bastion, unable to really talk, nodded. Alan led Bastion back to the waiting room, giving Sakura Blossom a signal that she should head back and be with her daughter until Bastion didn't look like he'd been in a fight. "C'mon, Bastion, you need to sit down in here..." Bastion nodded again.

Barbara was still in a state of worry, though concern entered her eyes when she saw Bastion. "Bastion, you okay, man?" asked Bobby, standing from his seat.

"I failed," the 17-year-old managed, just above a whisper. Little Haylee sat in her mother's arms, silent and eyes wide with fear.

Bobby instantly understood and placed a hand on Bastion's shoulder. "Bastion, don't go blaming yourself. None of us knew this would have— _could have_ even happened."

"I should've known...that day...she was afraid of him...and that he wouldn't rest until..."

"Bastion," Alan said, also placing a hand on Bastion's shoulder, "he was in Cleveland..."

"I should've known..." Bastion would not be easily comforted.

Bobby sighed, running a hand through his damp hair, which still hadn't dried from the rain. "Bastion...even _we_ didn't know Mike could hold this kind of sick, twisted grudge. And we've known him a lot longer." Bastion held the bag with the Watapon fragments and laid his head in his hands. He wasn't sure what he was going to do next. He had to wait until he knew Violet would be okay, and so he and his future in-laws sat and waited.

After a few hours, they heard footsteps, and the familiar red-headed nurse entered the waiting room. "Excuse me. Alan and Barbara Haverbrook, correct?" she asked.

"Yes," Alan said, managing to stand and holding his wife close. "Nurse Taylor, how's Violet?"

She managed a small smile. "Your daughter's going to be all right. She's unconscious at the moment, and will have to remain here in the hospital for a few weeks at most. You should be able to see her in an hour or so." Nurse Taylor's smile faltered a bit, hating to have to ask the question. "Would you...like to hear your daughter's exact injuries?"

Alan nodded. "What happened to her? She was in surgery a couple of weeks ago...Was it worse?"

She flipped to a paper on her clipboard, making a quick scan of the injuries. "I'm afraid so. Violet has severe bruising on the face, arms, neck, and upper body. Her left wrist is badly broken, the bone shattered. We needed to perform surgery because a broken rib pierced the right lung and created breathing problems."

Alan moaned softly. "Her lung collapsed?"

"Yes, we've inserted a chest tube to release the pressure and allow the lung to re-inflate. Unfortunately, the rain has also given Violet a cold, which will create some more complications with her breathing. We'll have to perform another surgery on her wrist once the swelling peaks," continued Nurse Taylor.

"But...she'll be okay?" Alan asked. Haylee, now holding onto her mother, arms around Barbara's neck, was crying silently. Barbara patted her daughter's back lightly, trying to comfort her.

"Yes, she should be able to leave the hospital in a few weeks. Luckily, we performed the surgery soon enough so that no major complications occurred with the collapsed lung," Nurse Taylor explained.

"Oh, thank God," Alan murmured.

Bastion just sat silently, relieved that his love would be okay. 'But she won't feel safe until...' He shook himself. His throat hurt. All he could do was wait until it was okay to see her. And then... 'I should call everyone...'

Barbara visibly relaxed, relieved that her daughter would be okay. Bobby was even able to put on a small smile, also uplifted by the news. "I'll come and get you when she's ready for visitors," Nurse Taylor stated with a smile, before turning to leave.

"Sissa will be okay?" Haylee asked, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah, sweetie," Alan answered, getting the kids into a hug. "You boys okay?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm just glad she's all right," Bobby replied, glancing at Bastion.

"Yes...but the recovery will take a while...I...need to make some phone calls," Bastion said shakily.

"Okay...do you need..?" Alan began.

"I have a mobile," Bastion managed.

"All right, Bastion. I think I saw a bathroom over there if you wanted some...privacy," replied Bobby, pointing.

Bastion nodded and headed down the hall to the bathroom. The first number he thumbed on his contacts was his parents' number. "Hello, Dad?"

"Bastion! My boy, what a pleasant surprise. How are you?" greeted Hiro. He was sitting in his home office, doing some paperwork.

"Dad..." Bastion's voice was shaky. "Violet..."

Hiro could immediately tell something was wrong. "Bastion? Son, what happened??"

"Her ex-boyfriend happened, and I wasn't there to help her...Dad, she had emergency surgery..."

"Oh, Bastion....that's awful! I'm terribly sorry, son. Will she be all right?" he asked, frowning.

"Yeah, but Dad...that monster...he...left her for dead and beat up her friend as well..."

Hiro ran a hand through his hair wearily, having seen a few cases similar to this at the hospital. "Sometimes, Bastion, there are just plain evil people in this world. They don't care for anyone but themselves and crush whomever they wish to get what they want. But just remember, that people like that will end up getting nowhere in life, son."

"Dad...just pray...I feel really out of sorts at the moment and...I don't know how I'm going help Violet through this..."

"I will, son. Just be there for her, she'll need your love to fully heal. Everything will be all right..."

"Thanks, Dad...tell Mum..."

"Don't worry, son. I will. Just take care of yourself and Violet...I love you," Hiro replied.

"Love you too, Dad..." Bastion said goodbye to his father and then thumbed the contacts button again. This time, the call went to the Rhodes home.

Jack Rhodes, who was on a long holiday for the 4th of July, answered the phone. "Hello, Rhodes residence. Jack Rhodes speaking."

"Jack...this is Bastion Misawa...Are Jaden, Alexis, Chazz or Atticus there?" He wasn't able to keep the tremor from his voice.

Jack frowned, noticing it. "Yes, they're all here, actually...Bastion, did something happen?"

"Yes...please hurry..." Bastion swallowed. "I...need to tell them...please..."

Jack stood from his spot on the couch and went out to the backyard, where the teens were having a snack and enjoying the California sunshine. "Kids! Bastion's on the phone and he wants to talk to you all. Come inside so we can use the speaker," he called. Alexis glanced at her brothers and fiancé, just as confused as they were.

"Jack?" Jaden asked, noticing his future father-in-law's expression.

"Dad? Did something happen?" Chazz also had caught his father's expression.

"Yes, but he hasn't told me yet. He sounds really shaken up," Jack replied, brow furrowed.

"Come on guys, it must be important," stated Alexis as she stood.

The kids got into the house and called, "Hi, Bastion!"

"So, what happened, Bastion? It isn't anything bad...right??" asked Atticus.

"Violet...is in the hospital...she just came out of surgery...I can't see her yet..."

"Bastion, what happened?!" Jaden's eyes were wide with horror.

"Her ex-boyfriend confronted her and a friend of hers who just returned from Canada...he beat Violet and left her for dead...if Cherri hadn't been with her, she would have..." Bastion's voice shook.

Everyone was shocked and appalled by the news. Alexis' eyes were wide and a hand covered her gaping mouth. Atticus was frowning deeper than any of them had ever seen him frown, fists clenched in disgust and anger. "Bastion, I...is she going to be okay?" asked Alexis finally.

Jaden put his arm around his fiancée, imagining what he would do if someone tried that on Alexis. "Yeah, Bastion...Do you need us to come out there?"

"N-no...she'll be all right...and I can manage things..." Something had just changed in his tone, imperceptibly.

"All right, Bastion. But anything else happens, call us, alright? We'll all fly out there personally to beat that jerk if we need to," explained Atticus, deadly calm.

"Yeah," Jaden said, eyes narrowing.

Chazz added in a calm yet angry voice, "We'll Chatticus him up good..."

"Thank you," Bastion managed.

"Have you told Annie yet? She'll want to know," asked Alexis.

"I'm going to call her and Syrus shortly...Is there any way to reach Tyson and Rosa? They'll want to know..."

Alexis thought for a few moments. "Jaden, does Tyson have a cell phone? I know Rosa doesn't," she asked. Jaden and Tyson were close friends, so Jaden would probably know his number if he had a cell phone.

Jaden nodded. "I'm not sure it'll work in Spain, though...darn it...Do you have Rosa's home number, Lex?"

"No...I don't think any of us do, actually. She never talked much about her family life. Looks like all you can do is try the cell number, Bastion," she explained, frowning.

"All right, then...thank you...all of you...I'll keep you posted..."

"Thanks. Bye, Bastion. Good luck," replied Alexis. They each gave similar responses before hanging up. Bastion said goodbye and prayed he'd get Tyson's cell. Fortunately, Tyson had gotten an international cell phone plan. It was about 11 PM in the village and very warm, so he and Rosa were sitting out under the stars.

Rosa sighed contentedly, lying back in the tall grass as a cool ocean breeze swept past them. However, the moment was slightly ruined by a ringtone next to her ear. "Ty-Ty...?"

Tyson Hassleberry hated to get up as Rosa was using his arm as a pillow. "I should've put the phone on vibrate...Hold on...it's Private Misawa..." He picked up. "Private Misawa? How are..."

"Tyson...is Rosa with you?"

"Yeah...do you need to talk to her, too?"

"Yes, do you have speaker phone on your mobile?"

"Yeah, just a sec...Darlin'...It's Private Misawa...he sounds upset..."

Rosa lifted herself up onto her elbows, alert. "Senor Bastion? Did something happen??" she asked, worried.

"Hello, Rosa...Violet's been hurt badly...by that...scum of an ex-boyfriend..." Tyson's eyes shifted reptilian.

Rosa placed a hand over her mouth, eyes wide with shock. "Oh, no...is she going to be all right?" she asked. She had noticed Tyson's anger, and placed a calming hand on his arm.

"Physically yes...emotionally, however...I don't know...he beat her and left her for dead...fortunately a friend was with her...but she was harmed too..."

"Private, do you need reinforcements?" Tyson asked, wanting to go and kick the guy from Ohio to...he wasn't sure, but it had to involve an active volcano.

"No, thank you, though, Tyson..."

"Well, thank you for calling us, Senor Bastion. I hope that she will get well soon," Rosa stated.

"I'll keep you both posted...good-bye now..."

Bastion hung up and in Spain, Tyson held Rosa close. "This just sucks..."

"I know, Ty-Ty...I just hope that nothing else happens..."

_So the gang in Spain and in Domino knows that something terrible has happened in Ohio. How will Annie and Sy take it when they find out about Violet? Also, will Mike get his comeuppance? Find out next time in "The Wrath of Bastion!" Until then, please read and review! Thank you!_


	77. The Wrath of Bastion

Chapter LXXVII: The Wrath of Bastion

_We know, we know…you're all wondering why the doom and gloom is back. There has to be some darkness before the dawn. And this is the chapter you've all been waiting for. Bastion is about to go take out the trash, as it were._

_**Warning: This chapter contains medical drama and violence. Also, we have taken liberty with the legal system as do many TV shows. Further, as we have established in this version of the Yugi-verse, Bastion is versed in the Israeli Defense Force's style of fighting, Krav Maga, which emphasizes taking down your opponent by whatever means necessary, not getting hurt if you can avoid it and taking down said opponent quickly. If any of you have seen the movie, "Enough" with Jennifer Lopez, that shows some Krav Maga training and use. Thank you.**_

Unfortunately, something else was about to happen. Bastion now thumbed his contacts and called to Annie's home in Seattle. In Medina, Washington, Syrus answered the phone. "Hello, this is the Hanson residence. Syrus Truesdale speaking."

"Sy, it's Bastion...Is Annie around as well?"

"Oh, hi Bastion! Yeah, we were just outside. Hang on," Syrus replied. He grabbed a second phone and went back outside, guessing Bastion wanted to talk with both of them. "Annie, Bastion called. He wants to talk to us."

Annie, who was sitting down on a teak wood Adirondack-style lawn chair, sat up immediately. "Sy?" She picked up. "Hi, Bastion..."

"Hello, Annie..."

She heard the worry in his voice. "What happened?" Syrus was also curious, and sat down beside Annie.

"Annie, Syrus...I'm at Cleveland General right now...Violet is in recovery, but she is badly hurt..."

"No...." Annie moaned.

Syrus tensed, but took Annie's hand as a comforting gesture. "Bastion...it was Mike, wasn't it?"

"Yes...it was...fortunately, Violet had a friend with her...but that friend was also hurt...not as badly..."

Annie was turning very pale. "How...how bad?"

"She had some internal injuries, a collapsed lung...and a badly broken wrist..."

Syrus squeezed Annie's hand a little, half out of some anger and half for reassurance. "That's terrible. Is she going to be okay?"

"Physically, yes...but emotionally, she will be a wreck..." Annie started breathing funny. Her heart rate was shooting up.

Sy had become accustomed to noticing such changes quickly, and immediately turned to face her. "Annie...Annie! Calm down, just calm down," he tried soothing her, worried.

"Annie?" Bastion called through the phone. But it was too late. Annie was in the throes of a serious episode. She couldn't talk now.

"Bastion, sorry, we have to go. I think Annie's having an attack, a bad one! Bye and good luck with Violet!!" Syrus explained, rushed as he hung up the phone. "Kathy! Kathy, Annie's having an episode!!" he called, distressed.

"Oh, no! Annie! ANNIE!!" Kathy yelped, running out. Sy had wisely gotten Annie to lie down, as they were on a stone patio. She lost consciousness and her heart rate wasn't going down.

"What should we do?!" he asked, frantic. This one looked really bad.

"ALEX!!!" Kathy ran for her husband, and Bobby came running as well.

"Mom?"

"Your sister's having another attack!"

Syrus grabbed the phone and called 911, explaining the situation to the woman on the other end of the line. "Please, hurry!" he added.

Fortunately, the ambulance was there within two minutes. "What's wrong with her?" a black female paramedic asked as they headed into the backyard.

Kathy explained quickly. "She has a form of tachycardia and this is the worst attack I've seen..." The medic nodded and headed onto the patio where Sy was trying to wake Annie. It wasn't working.

He had just finished calling out to her and shaking her lightly, with still no success. 'Oh, no...oh, no,' he thought.

"Okay, kid, what happened?" the medic asked as she began to work over Annie.

"Well, a friend called to tell us another one of our friends was in the hospital. And she… she just went into an attack!" he explained, panicking.

"Sudden shock, then...What's her name?"

"Annie...Annie Hanson," he replied.

"Okay...Annie? Annie, can you hear me?" The medic tried bringing Annie around, but it wasn't working. "Mr. and Mrs. Hanson, we're going to have to take your daughter to the emergency room. We'll take her to Bellevue Children's. Who would like to ride along with her?"

"Uh, me. I'm her...fiancé," Syrus replied, it being the first time he said it.

"Okay, then..." Alex, Kathy and Bobby, meanwhile, headed to their car so they could follow the ambulance.

Syrus got into the ambulance with the paramedic and Annie, holding her hand worriedly. 'Please be okay, Annie,' he thought.

Bellevue Children's Hospital was actually the Bellevue branch of Seattle Children's Hospital. It was a new building built to serve what is known as the Eastside in the early part of the 2010's. And that is where Annie was taken. "C'mon, Annie, wake up," the paramedics coaxed, but Annie's heart was beating far too fast. And so they quickly got an IV into her arm.

"I-Is...is she going to be okay?" Syrus asked, shaking slightly.

"She's just having a really bad attack...what's your name?" another paramedic, an Asian male, asked.

"Uh, Syrus...Syrus Truesdale..."

"Syrus...she's having a bad attack and it's going to take a while to get it under control...has she had something like this before?" he asked.

"Yeah...a few times, but only this bad once. She has a, uh...a heart problem. I forget what the doctors called it."

The male paramedic looked at the female paramedic. "Tachycardia...we'll check her records."

"Thanks, Daisy...so how did the last big episode happen?" the male medic asked as he worked.

"Well, we were playing soccer with our friends and she just collapsed. But the bad attack didn't really happen until that night," Sy explained, still holding Annie's hand tightly.

"We'll do our best for her, okay?" the male medic assured Syrus as they pulled into the hospital's emergency entrance. Alex and Bobby raced into the ER while Kathy looked for a place to park. Annie was moved into an ER cubicle and a friendly nurse guided Sy to a waiting area.

Syrus sighed as he sat down, finally able to register the phone conversation fully now that he wasn't as frantic and rushed. 'Now they're both in the hospital...I hope Bastion's not mad that I had to hang up on him. It's for the best that he told Annie, but...it's what gave her an attack,' he thought.

Meanwhile, back in Cleveland, Bastion sat stunned. 'Blast...I shouldn't have told Syrus to get Annie...I'm an idiot,' he mentally berated himself. He walked out of the men's room and down the hall.

"Bastion? Is everything all right?" Alan asked.

"No...I just made matters a whole lot worse...I called to Syrus and Annie and asked for her to be on the phone...and she had a bloody attack..."

"Bastion, it's for the best that she knows. They're best friends and she'd want to. Besides, I'm sure she'll be all right," soothed Barbara from her seat.

"I hope so...I just hope..." Bastion laid his head in his hands, badly shaken and hoping that he hadn't hastened something for Annie. And so they waited another hour and then a nurse came.

It was Nurse Taylor yet again. "You can see her now. But be quiet, she's still unconscious and resting. We've placed her in the same room as Cherri Blossom."

"Oh, thank God," Alan murmured. Bastion stood up tiredly.

Haylee looked at her parents. "Can Sissa talk to us?"

"Not right now, sweetie. Once she wakes up we can," Barbara explained as they followed the nurse.

The nurse led them into the room. Cherri, feeling a little bit better, was huddled against her mother. "Oh, Violet," Alan whispered. Haylee's eyes were wide and now were tearing up. Bastion, for his part, stared silently. Never again would he fear Hell, because seeing Violet as she was now was as close to the place of eternal torment as he could get in this world. Violet's normally vibrant and constantly moving body was now a shadow of its former glory. Her skin held a pallor from the rain and her cold, eyes ringed red. Multiple bruises were forming on her face, as well as her upper arms which could be seen since she was wearing a hospital gown. Gauze was taped to a spot on her neck, likely where the welt was. A tube came out from under the blanket that covered her, connected to the machine Nurse Taylor had mentioned about earlier. Oxygen tubes entered her nose to help her breathe with her good lung, and an IV was taped to her arm with pain and cold medication. Her left wrist was wrapped securely in gauze so no more damage would occur and that the swelling would go down.

The wrist was resting on an ice pack, and then Bastion noticed that her hand was wrapped, too. "How was her hand..?" he asked.

Nurse Taylor blinked in surprise. "Oh, didn't I tell you? She was holding the broken crystal so tightly that it cut her hand a bit. Luckily, it's not too bad."

"I'd forgotten," Bastion said softly. There was a chair on the right side of her bed and Bastion was inclined to let one of her parents take the seat. "Alan, Barbara, you should sit down..."

Barbara smiled. "Bastion, you should sit there. I know Violet would be happier waking up to your face..."

"Barbara, you or Alan should be there...and you're her parents..."

"You're going to be her husband," Alan countered. "Please, Bastion, sit down...we'll bring in a few more chairs..."

Bastion finally sat down. He took Violet's good hand and whispered, "I'm here, darling..."

Violet's hand twitched slightly at the new warmth, though she remained unconscious. Bobby had pulled a few more chairs over, and now the others were sitting near the bed as well. Barbara brushed back a few loose strands of hair from Violet's head sadly. "Mama's here, baby...don't worry..."

"Hang in there, sweetheart, Daddy's here," Alan added.

"Sissa...he's not here...the bad guy's not here," Haylee said. "Please wake up..."

"And if he does show up, I'll give him a taste of his own medicine...twice the amount," added Bobby, frowning. Violet simply remained silent, coughing slightly at one point.

Bastion sat by her side in silence, not responding to Bobby. "Bobby...if he shows up here the police will deal with him," Alan said.

Bastion didn't hear that. He was deep in agony and thought. 'I will deal with this...he will pay for all he has done...'

"I know...getting arrested just seems too good for him, though," Bobby replied to his father.

Barbara sighed. "But that's all we can do. We just have to let the police do their job," she soothed.

Bastion didn't talk for over two hours. And in those hours, Alan, Barbara and Haylee went home to get some spare clothes and pick up some dinner. Sakura had fallen asleep with Cherri and now Bobby and Bastion were sitting at Violet's bedside. The teen boy looked at his twenty-something future brother-in-law. "Bobby?"

Bobby had been falling asleep himself, but now snapped awake. "H-Huh? Oh, what is it, Bastion??" he asked through a yawn.

"I'm going to...take a little walk...I need to think for a bit," Bastion whispered.

He blinked in surprise. "But...you don't have an umbrella. And Violet might wake up," Bobby replied; it was still raining steadily outside and pretty cold.

"It's all right...I sometimes take walks in the rain...If I don't do it, I'm going to go mad...Violet won't be up yet, anyway...she's on extremely powerful medication...she won't come round for a few more hours," Bastion answered dully.

Bobby scratched the back of his neck warily, not really sure. "Well...okay. But don't stay out too long..."

Bastion nodded, stood up and headed out of the room. He knew what he was going to do now. He was going to be Violet's avenger and he would have Mike at his mercy. So he went outside and hailed a cab. In the week since what had happened in Cleveland, he had researched where gangs were likely to be and had looked for where Mike's gang might hang out. And so he took the cab. Mike was in serious trouble, though he didn't know it yet. Bobby quickly returned to his half-asleep state after Bastion left, unaware of what his future brother-in-law was going to do. Since there was no one to talk to, he soon fell asleep in his chair.

Within half an hour of Bastion leaving, Alan, Barbara and Haylee returned with clothes and dinner. "Bobby, Bastion," Alan said softly as they entered the room. And then he noticed Bastion was gone. "Bobby? Bobby, wake up, son! Where's Bastion?"

Bobby snapped awake again, leaping to his feet in a fighting stance. "You want a piece of this? I'll—oh, dad. You guys are back...Bastion? He went for a walk....how long has it been??"

"Son, we've been gone for an hour...When did he leave?"

Bobby looked at the clock, jaw dropping. "Oh geez...it's been over half an hour! Where could he be?!"

At this moment, Bastion was walking through a section of Cleveland that clearly showed urban decay. In this part of the city, buildings had been abandoned and in the absence of companies, had become a haven for gangs. Bastion would never be able to tell how he figured which building was Mike's, but on the first try, he found it. One man was standing out on guard, and Bastion stealthily came up to him. "Hello," he growled softly to the blond gorilla. "Are you in Mike's gang? Answer me," Bastion growled and quickly pinned the guy to the wall.

It seemed that Mike didn't exactly check who he recruited, as the boy immediately gave in. "Yeah, yeah, I am! What do you want?!"

"Where is Mike? And tell the truth, for if you lie to protect that scum...you shall regret it," Bastion said in a cold measured voice.

"H-He's in there! On the second floor with the rest of the guys!! Just don't hurt me!"

"Good...now I suggest you leave immediately," Bastion said, releasing him. The guy ran and Bastion headed inside the building. It smelled in there of things that Bastion wouldn't prefer to identify, but that was secondary. He hoped Mike smelled of fear.

"Charlie, what are you doing in here?" Mike yelled on the second floor. "Jerry, go check it out...."

"Jerry" was a boy standing at six feet exactly, who had obviously been to the gym quite a few times in his life. He had clipped, red hair and piercingly blue eyes like ice. "Hey! Who are you?! Get out of here before I have to waste the energy to kick your XXX out myself!!"

"Oh, and do you think that's necessary?" Bastion asked calmly, delivering a blow to Jerry's solar plexus. The wind whooshed out of the redheaded boy's body and then the dark-haired teen used a strategic pinch to his adversary's body to knock him out. "I took care of him, boss!" Bastion called in a voice like Jerry's. "Could you send someone down to help get rid of him?"

"Okay! Zander! You go!" Mike commanded. Zander was the boy with the buzz cut that had caught Violet.

Zander appeared at the bottom of the stairs, quickly realizing the wrong person was knocked out on the floor. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" he yelled, getting into a fighting stance.

"This," Bastion said evenly, drawing on his martial arts training to drop the guy.

By this time, Mike was getting suspicious. "Fin...go..." He sent the last guy. Bastion quickly moved. Of course, Fin was sent last because he may have been strong, but he wasn't exactly the brightest of Mike's gang members. So, it was not surprising to see him trip over Zander's fallen form and face-plant the ground.

Bastion smiled, watching the dumb one go down. He stepped over them and walked up to face the monster that had hurt his love. "Mike!" Bastion shouted.

"What the..? Oh it's you!" Mike stood up from where he was sitting and beheld the face of the so-called nerd. "Are you here to avenge that XXXX's death? She was worthless..."

"So your objective was to kill her then... Well, Mike...I suppose you ought to know...she's alive and God willing and with my help, she will be all right again. And you will never harm her again..."

"What are you going to do, tough guy? Kill me?"

"No...if anyone is worthless and not worth my killing...it's you...But you need to know that harming any woman like you harmed Violet is unacceptable," Bastion spoke in a fearful calm. Combined with the building's silence, it was truly frightening. As if on cue, a streak of lightning flashed past the foggy windows, lighting up the dim room in a bright flash of white. It was quickly followed by rolling thunder, like a giant starting bell. Bastion walked toward Mike as Mike walked toward Bastion. Their eyes were both set and their hands out. Mike, confident in his abilities physically, hadn't thought to conceal a weapon on his person. Even if he had, however, Bastion could've disarmed him. Mike threw a punch. Bastion was hit and Mike hit again.

"No one'll find you when I'm done with you..."

"Wrong," Bastion grated. And then Bastion scored a hit as the thunder clapped. And another. They kicked and punched, landing blows like two ancient gladiators, and then Bastion had Mike on the floor.

"I surrender!" Mike shouted. "I'll do anything you want!"

"Good...because there is one thing I want you to do...Run, Mike...Run...Run away and never return..." Bastion got up and Mike lay on the ground, terrified. The boy with the British accent walked away and out of the building, hailed a cab, and returned to the hospital.

"I'm gonna go out and look for him. He'll get sick in this weather and that's the last thing we need right now," stated Bobby back at the hospital. They'd given Bastion another few minutes, and Bobby simply couldn't wait any longer.

"Well, all right, but be careful...and here, take the umbrella," replied Barbara.

Bobby nodded and walked over to the door, umbrella in hand. "Right. I'll be ba-Bastion?!"

Bastion had entered the hospital and walked down the hall without a word. He now stood in the doorway of Violet's room looking as if he'd been through a war. "I'm back..."

"Bastion! What happened?!" gasped Bobby.

Barbara quickly helped him to his seat, worry obvious on her face. "Oh, Bastion. You look terrible..."

"I'm...I'm all right...but Mike will never harm Violet again... I've made sure of it..."

Bobby's eyes widened in realization and shock. "Bastion...you didn't do what I think you did...you didn't go and..."

"No, I didn't do that...but I made him leave town..."

Bobby sat in a chair and groaned, face in his hands. "Bastion...you didn't have to do that. Now..." he muttered, glancing at Violet.

Barbara sighed. "Bastion, that was very brave, but also very foolish. You shouldn't have taken a risk like that," she scolded quietly, relieved.

Alan looked at Bastion. "Bastion, you could've been hurt or...what were you thinking? You could've been arrested..."

"Honestly, I would face prison for her...I would die for her..."

Bobby sighed this time. "Bastion, you don't get it. It's great that you love her that much, but...what will she say when she sees you're hurt? That you went and got yourself hurt because of her??"

Bastion sighed. "I don't know...and I don't know how to explain it...I just couldn't let him get away...or possibly come back and hurt her worse..."

Then, the door opened, and Nurse Taylor walked in. "Excuse me, sorry. I just needed to check Violet's vitals-oh! What happened??" she asked, seeing Bastion.

"Er...I fell taking out…the trash," Bastion answered, flushing slightly at the lame excuse.

"Yeah, he did a very good job taking out...the trash," Alan added.

Nurse Taylor didn't believe a word of it, but decided it was their business. "Well, the least we can do is clean you up a little. I'll go get a towel, some gauze, and anti-septic," she replied, leaving the room.

"I'm shocked she believed that lame excuse," stated Bobby.

"Yes...that's the kind of excuse Jaden would use...oddly, Dr. Crowler fell for it most of the time," Bastion smiled at his future father-in-law. "Thank you, Alan..."

"No problem, Bastion..."

Soon the nurse returned, and handed Bastion a towel. "You just dry off while I check her vitals," she half-stated, half-ordered, checking the machines Violet was hooked-up to.

Bastion toweled off, noticing some blood on the towel. "Now where is that coming from?" he wondered.

"You have lots of owies, Bastion," Haylee commented.

Nurse Taylor returned to Bastion, a frown coming to her features. "That must have been some fall..." He had a black eye, a busted lip, and multiple bruises on his face. His knuckles were also bruised and scraped a little, not to mention his nose had started bleeding. "Here, put this on your eye," she stated, handing him an ice pack.

"Thank you, Nurse Taylor...I felt like I was fighting the trash today, to be honest..."

"Really? Well, it must have put up one heck of a fight," she replied. Nurse Taylor dabbed the blood away from his nose, then pointed near the bridge. "Squeeze here with your free hand to stop the bleeding," she instructed, now dabbing at his lip.

"All right..." Bastion was beginning to feel really achy. "The trash did seem to put up a fight...I feel terrible..."

"Bastion, do you need to lie down?" Alan asked.

"Well, you look terrible, too," the nurse added for some humor. "If you start feeling light-headed, dizzy, or your vision blurs, lie down on two chairs. One of you come get me and we'll bring in a cot if that happens, all right?" Nurse Taylor was carefully applying the disinfectant to Bastion's lip. "This may sting a little..."

Bastion bore the sting. "I don't mind the disinfectant much...Thank you, Nurse Taylor..." Bastion definitely felt woozy now, but he wanted to sit as long as possible. The nurse cleaned his other wounds and sighed.

"Bastion, you okay?" Haylee asked. Bastion managed a nod.

"You know, I'll bring down a cot just in case," Nurse Taylor stated as she grabbed her things, quickly leaving to get the cot.

Suddenly, a groan could be heard, but not from Bastion. Violet was finally waking up, eyes opened ever-so-slightly as she flexed the feeling back into her fingers. "Violet...darling..." Bastion managed to stay upright somehow and held her hand. "Oh, my love...I thought for a moment..."

"B…Bastion?" she mumbled. Violet opened her eyes more, so that they were now half-lidded. Her body felt heavy and slow from medication, though she still felt aches all over. "Where..."

"You're at the hospital, sweetie...we were all so worried," explained Barbara happily.

"Sissa," Haylee said.

Alan held his younger daughter who suddenly was crying and asked, "Violet...baby, do you remember what happened?"

'Why am I in the hospital...and why does everything hurt,' she wondered, confused for a few moments. Then, the memory rushed back to her, and her eyes snapped as wide as possible for a human being. "NO!!!" Violet screamed, tears brimming her eyes as she curled into as much of a fetal position as she could the way she was.

"Violet...he's gone...he won't harm you again," Bastion said softly. "This time...he's gone."

Barbara reached over to wrap her arms around Violet in a comforting embrace, and could feel her trembling come to a stop at Bastion's words. "G-Gone...? But how," she mumbled. Then, she noticed his face.

"He will never return to this place...and if he's smart...he will never again hurt women like he hurt you..." Bastion winced, but moved to hug Violet as well. "Darling..."

Now the tears were falling, as she fully leaned into Bastion. Barbara had moved away to give them room. "B-Bastion...you're hurt...because of me. I d-didn't want you to get hurt..."

"No...no, darling...Violet, love...I'll be all right...and Mike won't bother you again..."

"But...you s-still had to get hurt..." Violet's grip with her uninjured hand tightened on his still damp shirt. "I n-never want to see you get h-hurt because of me...e-ever..."

"Shhh..." Bastion tried to soothe her. "Violet...you mean everything to me..."

She pulled away slightly to look straight into his one good eye with her two tear-filled ones. "A-And you mean everything t-to me, Bastion. That's w-why I never want t-to see you get h-hurt...especially because of m-me. Please, don't do a-anything like that again..."

"I doubt I'll have to, darling," Bastion said. "Hopefully, I can revert to standard dueling...now if the room will just stop wobbling like Jell-O...we'll be fine..."

Luckily, at that moment Nurse Taylor returned with a cot. There was just enough room for her to place it on Violet's other side, beside her bed. "There you go, Bastion. Oh! Violet, you're awake. How wonderful!! Okay...let's get you over to the cot, Bastion."

"But...Violet..." Bastion didn't want to let go of her right hand, but he was feeling really shaky.

Nurse Taylor sighed lightly. "Uh, you know, you'll still be able to hold hands if you lay down," she stated. Bobby sweat-dropped and Barbara couldn't help but smile a little.

Bastion flushed slightly. "Oh...I'm really not thinking straight, am I?"

And then a yawn, like the cooing of a dove, was heard in the room. "Violet-ani? Are you awake?" Cherri asked from her bed.

Violet instantly turned to her friend as Nurse Taylor helped Bastion onto the cot, smiling. "Cherri-ani! You're okay!! I'm so glad," the older teen girl replied, wiping away her remaining tears.

"Yeah...Bastion, why are you lying down?" the pink-haired girl asked curiously.

"I...er...had a fight with a rubbish bin..."

"A trash can?"

"Yes...and I won...but...I won't be doing that again if I can avoid it." Somehow, Cherri understood.

By now, Sakura had woken up as well. "It's nice to see that you're all right, Violet," she stated, smiling.

Violet frowned. "Cherri, Sakura...I'm sorry that I dragged you into this. They were only after me, but you ended up getting hurt, too..."

"Violet-ani! Don't you get upset! It's not your fault!" Cherri exclaimed.

"But," Violet sighed.

"Violet, it's not your fault Cherri got hurt. And if she hadn't been there, they may not have found you in time," explained Barbara soothingly.

"Honey...you could've died," Alan added.

"Violet...that was his intention..." Bastion added.

"I know...he told me enough times that it's not exactly easy to forget," Violet muttered sadly, eyes burning with the threat of more tears.

There was a knock on the door. "Excuse me...Mr. and Mrs. Haverbrook?" It was Officer Edwards.

"Yes? Who is it??" replied Barbara, surprised. She didn't recognize the voice at all.

"I'm Officer Rachel Edwards. I took Miss Blossom's statement earlier," she said, introducing herself. "Is your daughter awake?"

"Uh, yeah, I am," answered Violet. She had lain back down since it took too much energy to sit up.

"Okay, good. Miss Haverbrook, I need to take your statement...after what happened...Oh, my...Bastion, what happened?"

Bastion swallowed, looking at the police officer. He couldn't lie. "Officer...could I speak with you for a moment, privately?"

Violet bit her bottom lip nervously, knowing that he had to tell her what he'd done. 'I don't know what I'll do if he has to go to...to jail!' she thought anxiously.

"Are you in any condition to..?"

"Please, Officer..." Bastion managed to stand and walked out with the policewoman. "I wish to confess to something, and I will understand if I have to serve time for it..."

"What did you do?"

"I went after Mike...he is leaving town...and won't return..."

"So?"

"I got in a fight with him...I went after him...I know that's premeditation...but I couldn't..."

"Bastion...this conversation never happened...and if Mike mentions something...it's a lie...understand?"

Bastion nodded, realizing he was getting off. "Thank you..." He suddenly felt weak. "Er..."

"Let's get you back to bed...off the record, I completely understand..."

Violet was nearly frantic with worry over what would happen by the time they returned, but was relieved when she noticed Bastion's calm expression. Apparently, they'd come to an agreement so that he wouldn't have to leave her to serve jail time. 'Thank goodness,' she thought.

"I fought the rubbish bin...and I won," Bastion said and lay down heavily onto the bed.

"Violet. I need to take your statement, all right?"

"Uh, o-okay...what exactly is that?" she asked. The anxiety was returning, and she couldn't help it.

"Violet, I'm right here..." Bastion reached up and took Violet's hand.

"You need to tell me what happened, Violet...everything you tell me about what happened takes back what he took from you..."

Violet bit her bottom lip for a few moments, forcing down her anxiety so that she could do it. "A-All right. Cherri and I had just left the ice cream store..." she began. Violet told them about the bikes, Cherri getting knocked out, Mike beating and berating her, taking her necklace and breaking it. "The necklace! Oh no...don't tell me I lost it..."

Bastion had held onto it. "You didn't, darling...I have it...If it can't be repaired...I'll get you a new one..."

Violet noticed her bandaged hand, putting on a melancholy expression. "So that's why my palm hurts so much...it must have gotten cut. At least it's safe," she muttered. Violet then explained how Mike had broken her wrist, and then her rib when they'd been kicking her. After that, there was a blank until she woke up in the hospital.

"Thank you, Violet...we'll keep an eye out for him as well. But...I have a feeling he ran afoul of a dumpster and the dumpster won," the officer said, smiling.

Violet smiled lightly, but had a feeling Mike wouldn't go away so easily. Even if he wasn't there physically, his memory was now fresher than ever in her mind. And the old memory had been made worse by the new. Suddenly, her stomach growled rather loudly, and she winced. "Oh...what time is it? It feels like I haven't eaten in hours..."

"We just came back from getting dinner, Violet," Alan said sheepishly. "And it's probably too much for you...Maybe Nurse Taylor can get you something..."

Violet sighed. However, some in the room were starting to think Nurse Taylor was psychic, because not a moment later did she enter with a tray of food. "I thought you might be hungry, so I managed to grab something from the hospital cafeteria. Sorry if it's not much, it's pretty late..."

"It's all right...Thank you, Nurse Taylor...You must be an angel...Violet was just saying she was hungry..."

Alan smiled. "Violet-ani's lucky!" Cherri said happily.

Nurse Taylor blushed a little as she set down the tray. "Oh, just lucky guesses, I suppose. Be sure to get plenty of rest after eating, we'll probably perform the surgery on your wrist tomorrow," she explained.

Violet spluttered. "S-Surgery???"

"Honey, your wrist was broken pretty badly and they need to patch you up," Alan explained.

"Violet...it's all right..." Bastion added. "You'll be bionic, if that makes you feel better..."

She blinked. "Bionic??"

"It means you'll have metal instead of bone there, Violet. Your normal bone is too shattered to mend properly," explained Nurse Taylor.

"It'll need some help to heal," Bastion added tiredly. "It'll be temporary...isn't that correct, Nurse Taylor?"

She nodded. "Yes. Once the bone grows back enough to remain stable, we'll perform another surgery to remove the metal parts."

Violet was grinning as she ate the soup Nurse Taylor had brought her. "So, I'll be...like a cyborg?"

Bastion couldn't help but laugh. "No, darling...you'll just have some metal pieces without electricity...you might, however, go beep at the airport...Tyson says he does..."

Violet blinked, trying to imagine having metal in her wrist instead of regular bone. "...Cool," she stated excitedly.

"Maybe Dad and I can detail it for you," Bobby joked from his seat.

Bastion grinned. "You gents could...pimp her cast...is that the right terminology?"

Bobby couldn't help but laugh, finding the word spoken in a British accent hilarious. "Yeah, that's probably right," he managed to say.

Alan laughed too. "Yeah, it's right. Bastion...I think we may do that!"

"Good...I'll have to tell...the gang..." He trailed off, wondering how to tell Violet that he'd unintentionally landed her best friend at Duel Academy in the hospital.

Violet had been busily finishing off the last of the soup and roll she'd received, when she noticed Bastion's expression. "Bastion-baby, something wrong?"

"Er...Violet..." In his current state, he wasn't able to think of a plausible way to not tell her. "It's...about Annie..."

She tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What about her?"

Bastion swallowed. "I called everyone when you came out of the surgery...and...I am such an idiot..."

Violet was getting impatient, and gave his hand a rather bone-crushing squeeze. "Bastion-baby, just tell me and THEN we'll decide if you're an idiot!"

"I told her and Syrus together...and she's had another episode. Sy hung up abruptly and...he sounded very frightened...I shouldn't have asked to have her on the phone...the shock was too much..."

She instantly became worried and wanted to call Syrus, but had to do something first. "Bastion-baby, you're not an idiot. You had to call and tell her, we're best friends. Even if you waited until later, she still may have had an attack. All we can do is hope she's all right...would it be okay to call Sy?"

Just then, Bastion's cell phone rang. "It's...Syrus's phone..." Bastion picked up. "Syrus?"

_So what news does Syrus bring and how is Annie doing? Next time, "Update." Stay tuned, and please read and review! Thank you!_


	78. Update

Chapter LXXVIII: Update

_Hello, again, everyone. We welcome you back to the story and are pleased if you enjoyed Bastion giving Mike a major smack-down. Thank you to all of you who read and all of you who left reviews so quickly, which means we're putting up a new chapter a few hours early! We're always glad to respond to reviews if we can. So if you're reviewing anonymously and would like to hear from us, please get an FF account or leave an email address. Thanks!_

_Now, instead of another recap, we'd like to add some notes. First, again we'd like to thank the various medical websites for their invaluable information, as well as some other websites for their cultural information. Secondly, we have taken liberty with Harrington Rosewood. We found his attitude that Alexis was somehow a prize to be won and that her feelings didn't seem to matter a problem. We have therefore assumed his obsession with her might lead to violent tendencies. We understand that this isn't always the case with young men, but Harrington's attitude could be representative of a bigger problem, which is why he did what he did in the flashback in this chapter. We hope that doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the chapter. Finally, Zane's allergy, mentioned in this chapter, was established in Peach's tale, "The Path to Redemption." Thank you._

_**Disclaimer: Uh…well…we've mentioned it…Thank you.**_

_**Warning: Mentions of ransacking, threats and yes, again, there is mild violence. Only fictional people were harmed in the making of this chapter.**_

"Hi, Bastion. Sorry I hung up on you earlier, but Annie had a bad attack," Syrus apologized. He and the Hansons were sitting in Annie's hospital room, Annie lying unconscious in the bed.

"Oh, my... how is she? Darn it, Syrus, I'm sorry," Bastion apologized, feeling terrible.

"Don't worry, Bastion. She's unconscious but stabilized, and will have to stay in the hospital for a few days. I'm sure if she was awake, she'd be glad you told her so that she knows..."

"Okay...Violet's doing better...and...Mike will never return." Bastion swallowed. "He's left town...like in the Old West movies..."

Syrus blinked in surprise. "Bastion...did you...?"

Fortunately by now, Officer Edwards had left, so Bastion could speak freely. "I went after him...and got in a fight with him. I was his better and made him leave town," Bastion concluded proudly.

Sy was stunned. He had no idea Bastion could fight so well. "Wow, Bastion. That's...amazing! How did Violet take it?"

"She hopes I'll never do it again...I am a bit the worse for wear, but I'll be right as rain. You didn't expect me to fight that well, did you?"

Syrus sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Well, uh, you just don't seem like the fighting type, Bastion...I mean…even after you took down Jagger…" But then, Sy had seemed to have no problem beating down a guy twice his size and strength.

"You took down someone who hurt Annie, didn't you?" Bastion commented wryly. "And you're quite a bit smaller than me..."

He blushed. "I guess you have a point...but I was just really angry at that one guy. I mean, Mike was in a gang, so you had to fight a bunch of other guys, too..."

"Oh...you could've taken them, too...one of them ran for his mummy...and another tripped over his mates onto the floor..."

Syrus couldn't help but grin at that. "Really? Must not have been much of a gang, then. I'm just glad that everyone's going to be okay..."

"Violet and her friend will be fine...Syrus, do me a favor, won't you?"

"Uh, sure, Bastion..."

"Tomorrow if Annie's awake, have her call...I know Violet could use the cheer up."

"Sure, Bastion! I bet she'll want to call to check up on her, anyway," he replied, smiling.

"Thank you, Syrus...are you all right?"

Syrus was taken aback by the question. "H-Huh? What do you mean??"

"I was out of my mind when Violet was...well, I'm wondering how you're doing..."

"Oh...well, I'm okay now that I know Annie's going to be all right. But...I'm still worried about what Kisara said..."

"I know," Bastion said. "I'm worried about that, too...If you want to talk...call me at anytime..."

"Okay, Bastion. Thanks," Syrus replied.

Bastion yawned. "I'll call everyone...in the morning..." He yawned again. "Terribly sorry, Sy..."

"Don't worry about it, Bastion. I understand. It's late there and you've been through a lot more than I have," Sy stated understandingly.

"If you talk to anyone, though...would you mind terribly passing the word along?"

"Sure. I'll tell any of the others if I talk to them. You should probably get some rest..."

"Thanks, mate...you too, if you can...Good night, Syrus," Bastion said and hung up.

Back in Bellevue, Washington, Syrus sighed as he hung up the phone, free hand still holding Annie's. "Annie...I know you might not be able to hear me, but...Violet's okay..."

Kathy Hanson, having stepped out of the room for a bit, stepped back in. "Hi, sweetie...Did you talk to Bastion?"

"Yeah...he says that Violet and her friend are both going to be okay," Syrus explained, smiling.

"Oh, thank goodness...was she awake?"

"Yeah, but I think she was too tired to talk. Bastion sounded tired, too."

"What happened, Syrus?"

"Well, Bastion didn't tell me much. He said that Violet and her friend were cornered and attacked by her ex-boyfriend's gang. They're both in the hospital right now, and Bastion...well..."

Kathy's mother's intuition was in full force. "What happened with Bastion?"

Syrus knew he couldn't keep it from her. "Well, he, uh...tracked down Violet's ex-boyfriend and avenged her the old-fashioned way..."

Kathy's eyes widened. "He didn't...make him sleep with the fishes, did he?"

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh, no. Not that kind of old-fashioned. More like, uh...the 'get out of town' old Western?"

Kathy breathed a sigh of relief. "It was the way you said it, honey...Has he ever done that before?"

"No. I didn't even know he could do something like that...I mean, he made sure Jagger Princeton couldn't hurt Jaden's dad, but…well, Bastion doesn't seem like someone who'd hunt down a guy and…you know…"

"Is it out of character for him?"

"Well...he'd always been more of the quiet type who liked computers and schoolwork more than people, it seemed. Until Violet started opening him up more..."

"Hmmm...I'll bet you were the same way," she said, ruffling his hair. And then, Annie began to stir.

"Oh! Annie, can you hear me?" he asked, squeezing her hand.

"Annie...sweetheart?" Kathy added. "Alex! Bobby! She's coming around!" The two Hanson men came into the room quickly.

"Annie?" Bobby asked. "Can you hear us?" Annie moaned softly.

"Easy, honey. Don't push yourself," soothed Alex quietly.

Annie squeezed Sy's hand weakly. "Ooh...where am I?"

"You're in the hospital, Annie...you had a really bad attack," explained Syrus, smiling. He was glad she was finally awake.

"I feel so weak," she moaned softly. And then she remembered the last thing before everything was a blank. "Violet!"

"Don't worry, Annie. I just called Bastion and he said she's fine..."

"She...what happened to her?" Annie's heart rate was going up again.

"Annie, sweetie...keep calm," Kathy soothed.

"Yeah...Annie, you don't need another attack," Bobby added, worried.

"I'll tell you what Bastion told me, Annie. But you have to stay calm, okay?" Syrus asked, worry filling his eyes once more.

Annie nodded weakly. "Okay..."

"I don't know the details. But, it started when Mike's gang cornered and attacked Violet and her friend. Luckily, her friend called an ambulance and they're recovering in the hospital now, Annie."

"They're okay? Really?" she asked, drained.

"Yes, Annie. They're going to be okay," he soothed, smiling at her.

"Good...Sy..." Her eyes were tearing up again, and Kathy signaled to her husband and son that a quick exit was necessary.

Alex and Bobby both left as Syrus pulled Annie into a hug. "I know, Annie...but you don't have to worry anymore..."

"Sy...how could this happen?"

Syrus sighed. "I don't know, Annie...so many bad things have happened this summer. I've been wondering why they're happening so much, too..."

"How could it happen to Violet? She didn't do anything..."

"None of us did...but, for some reason this stuff is happening. I'm just worried that it's not over yet...that there might be more to come..."

Annie moaned. "Is this some sort of test?"

"I don't know, Annie. But if it is...then whoever's doing it better have a good reason..."

Annie began to sob. "I don't know how much I can take...What if something happens to you next?"

"As long as nothing else happens to you, Annie," Syrus replied, holding her closer.

"I can handle if something happens to me...but...you...Why, God?" she began praying in obvious pain. "Why is this happening?" She was so weak, Sy had to lay her back in the bed.

"Don't worry, Annie. For now, at least, maybe things will be okay...we'll just have to be careful..."

Annie was panting. "Why, God?" And she passed out again, but fortunately for her, it was the exhaustion.

Kathy, Alex and Bobby came back in the room. "I heard you kids...Syrus, she's really upset right now," Kathy said. "I haven't seen her this shaken in some time..."

Syrus nodded. "I know...a lot of bad stuff's happened in such a short time..."

"We've seen her ask God like that when something really bad happens," Bobby added.

"Sy, honey, do you want to call your parents?" Kathy asked. "I can call if you need me to..."

"Yeah...I think I need to talk to them and my brother," he replied.

"Okay, sweetheart," Kathy said. "Do you want to use my cell phone?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Kathy..." Syrus took the phone and went out into the hallway, dialing his home number.

At the Truesdale residence, Darla was fixing dinner and Will was helping. The phone rang and Will called, "Zane, can you get that?"

"Yeah, Dad! Hello, Truesdale residence, this is Zane..."

"Hi, big bro...it's Syrus..." He was surprised how nice it felt just to hear his brother's voice.

"Hey, Sy...is everything all right? I heard Violet was in the hospital...And you don't sound so good..."

"Well...when Bastion called to tell us about that, Annie had an episode...a bad one. She's okay now, but she has to stay in the hospital for a few days..."

"Oh, no...Sy, how's she doing?" Darla and Will had stopped what they were doing and listening.

"She's sleeping right now. But...all of the bad things that keep happening are starting to wear her down," he explained. 'They're wearing me down, too,' Syrus thought.

"Sy...just a sec..." He looked at his parents. "Mom, Dad...Annie had another attack..."

"Oh, that's awful! And just when Violet ended up in the hospital, too," replied Darla, frowning sadly.

"I want to go up there and be with him," Zane said. "Can I?"

"Zane, if that's the way you feel, go ahead," Will answered.

Zane nodded and got back on. "Sy?"

"Uh, yeah, Zane?" he replied.

"Would you like me to come up there and be with you? I could book a hotel and be up there tomorrow."

Syrus was surprised by the question. He had to admit that seeing his brother sounded wonderful, but should he really? "Well, uh, as long as it's okay with Mom and Dad...and, I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to..."

"I want to, Sy...gosh, I'm offering..."

The younger boy blushed a little. "Sorry, Zane..."

"Don't apologize...it's not like I have a great track record at being there for you..."

Zane had a point there. "Well, okay. As long as you're sure."

"Yeah...and just so I know...which hospital are you guys at? I'll come straight there..."

"Uh...Bellevue Children's Hospital. Thanks, big bro..."

"No problem, Sy. You want to talk to Mom and Dad?"

"Yeah...I do."

"Okay...Mom, Dad...he wants to talk to you..." Zane handed the phone to his mother.

"Hi, honey. How are you?"

"A little tired, Mom...what about you and Dad?"

"We're doing just fine. You be sure to get plenty of rest, understand?"

"Okay, Mom."

"Good. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you, too, Mom. Thanks..."

"Bye, Syrus. Here, Will, your turn," Darla stated, handing her husband the phone.

"Hey, champ...how's my boy?" Will asked.

"Okay, Dad. Besides being a little tired..."

"Sy...it sounds like you're more than tired..."

Syrus sighed; was it really that obvious? "Well, uh..."

"Sy...you can talk; it's okay...you'll only make yourself sick holding it in..."

"I know, Dad...thanks..."

"Okay...just make sure you talk about it when you can, okay?"

"Okay, I will."

"Okay, champ...We all love you..."

"I love you, too, Dad."

"Zane'll be up there as soon as he can, okay? And we'll call your friends..."

"Okay. Oh, Dad? Could you tell them Violet and her friend are going to be okay?? Bastion asked me to pass the word along..."

"I will...Do you want to talk with Mom or Zane again?"

Syrus wasn't sure he could. "No, that's okay. Thanks again, Dad..."

"Okay...Sy, is there anything you'd like Zane to bring with?"

He blushed a little, but really needed it. "Uh, maybe he could bring....er, Mr. Fuzzy Bear?"

Will smiled. "Sure, champ...that can be arranged..."

"Thanks a lot, Dad."

"No problem, Sy...Now promise me you'll get some sleep tonight...Are the Hansons around?"

"I will, Dad...and yeah, they are."

"Okay...could you put either Alex or Kathy on?"

"Uh, okay." Syrus went back into the hospital room. "Uh, Alex? Kathy? My dad wanted to talk to one of you..."

Kathy looked at Alex. Alex nodded and took the phone. And so Will talked with Alex. "Hey, Alex...how are you holding up?"

"Hi, Will. I'm doing okay...it's not easy when your daughter has an attack. But at least she's all right..."

"Yeah...is there anything we can do to help?"

"Thank you for the offer, Will. But I think we'll be okay for now."

"Listen, Zane wants to come up and be with his brother...And he wanted to stay in a hotel..."

"Oh, is that so? Well, I have no problem with it. I suppose Syrus could use the emotional support..."

"Can you recommend a close hotel for him? I'm afraid I don't know the area that well..."

Alex smiled and thought of something. "You know, we have plenty of room at the house. If it's all right with him, he could stay with us," he offered.

"Are you sure? We don't want to inconvenience you..."

"Oh, think nothing of it! Really. Besides, then it'll be easier for them both."

Will thought a moment. "Just a sec... Zane?"

"Yeah, Dad?" Zane looked up from his computer.

"Alex was wondering if you'd like to stay at their house..."

"Okay..."

"That'd be fine with Zane, Alex...he's going to book the earliest flight out..."

"All right. He'll be good for Syrus, I just know it. He hasn't shown too much worry or anything like Annie, but I know he's scared," Alex muttered so Sy didn't quite hear him.

"Yeah...he's gotten better at hiding what's bothering him...Thanks for keeping him as long as you have...And...if you need us at any point, just call."

"I'll be sure to, Will."

"Zane'll be up as soon as he can...We'll talk to you soon."

The parents hung up and Kathy patted Sy's shoulder. "Alex, honey, what's happening?"

"Zane's going to fly up here as soon as possible. I hope you don't mind, honey, but I said he could stay with us..."

"Oh, that's great. No point in him getting a hotel room when we have a big house with plenty of room. Sy, sweetie, is there anything that your brother likes to eat or is allergic to?"

Syrus thought for a moment. "Well, uh, he is allergic to oranges."

"Oranges? All right...is it a bad allergy? Like when people are allergic to peanuts?"

He grinned sheepishly and sweat-dropped. "Well, uh...it's not exactly dangerous or anything, but...kinda more along the lines of lactose intolerance."

Kathy looked at Syrus and understood. "Oh, my...then we'll avoid oranges...Thanks for telling me, Sy."

Back in Domino, Zane had just booked an emergency flight to Seattle leaving at 1 in the morning. "I'm going to call..." he began, and then the phone rang. Atticus was on the other end, wanting to see how Zane was doing. "Hello, Truesdale residence..."

"Hey, Zane! It's Atticus!! Just wanted to check up on my best bud!"

"Hey, Atticus. I was just about to call you...I'm leaving for Seattle early tomorrow morning..."

"Huh? Why's that??"

"Annie...had another attack. It was a bad one..."

Atticus was surprised, sighing at more bad news. "Oh, man...and right when Violet went to the hospital, too...how's Sy?"

"He's okay...but shaken up...Oh! That reminds me...Violet's doing better...Sy called and checked and Violet was awake...Bastion took out a whole gang! Bastion..."

This shocked him even more. "Whoa, hang on! We're talking about OUR Bastion, right??"

"Yeah," Zane said in his typical cool tone. "I wasn't sure what to think at first, but...Sy said they were pretty stupid...Bastion was a little banged up and then...He took a page out of Clint Eastwood's book..."

Atticus grinned. "Man, that's great...I gotta tell the guys this."

"Are they there?"

"Yeah. You wanna talk to them?"

"Yeah...I'd like to tell them everything...and I don't have Tyson's number..."

"Jaden knows it. Hang on." Atticus went out to the living room where everyone was and sat next to Chazz. "Zane's on the phone, he wants to talk to you guys, too," he explained, pressing the speaker button.

"Hey, Zane!" Jaden called to the phone.

"Hi, Zane!" Chazz added. "What's up?"

"Hi, Zane!" Alexis greeted, smiling.

"Hey, guys...Listen...do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

Jaden and Chazz looked at Alexis. "Your call, sis..."

"Yeah, babe..."

"Let's have the bad news first," Alexis replied, sighing.

"Okay...Annie's in the hospital again...she had another bad attack after finding out what happened to Violet...she wasn't awake when I talked to Sy..."

Alexis groaned, placing her head in her hands. "Perfect timing," she muttered sadly.

"Oh, no," Chazz groaned.

"Zane, should we book a flight?" Jaden added, worried about his surrogate little brother.

"I'm going up there...I think the less people we have running up there, the better. With any luck, Annie'll be awake when I get up there..."

"Zane...what's the good news?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, I'm glad we saved it for last," added Alexis.

"Violet's going to be fine...and that ..." Zane took a few deep breaths. "I'm trying to think of a semi-polite word...well...the thing that hurt Violet won't hurt her again...Bastion saw to that."

Just like Atticus had been, the others were surprised. "He...did? Zane, what did he do??" asked Alexis. Chazz and Jaden looked at each other in shock.

"You've seen the old Western movies, right, Alexis?"

"Uh, yeah," she replied.

"He went and took out the gang and told the abuser to not show his face in Cleveland or South Royalton again..."

Jaden and Chazz were sitting with their jaws hanging open. "No way," they said together.

Alexis sighed and closed her brother's and fiancé's mouths, smiling a little. "That's great, Zane. At least Violet won't have to worry anymore..."

"Bastion beat up people," Jaden said, stunned.

"Who'd have thought that Bastion had it in him?" Chazz added, gulping. "Even after Jagger…I didn't think he was…whoa…"

"Yeah, but he did...and Violet's safe now...I'd hate to think what Bastion might do if the jerk ever came back..."

Alexis grimaced and sweat-dropped. "Let's hope nothing illegal. He must have been cutting it close with what he did already..."

"Yeah," Jaden said. "I think he could've been charged with first-degree assault and battery... but maybe the cop was nice..."

"Isn't that breaking the law?" Chazz asked.

"Well, it's bending it," Jaden explained. "But Dad says the law is made to help people; it's not supposed to be inflexible. And the reality is...guys like Mike can come out of prison worse."

"At least this way he should stay out of Violet's life from now on," added Alexis.

"I hope so, Lexi," Zane said. "I know what Atticus or I would do if someone was beating up on you or threatening you..."

"Aren't you forgetting about what Jaden would do?" she asked, smiling at him.

Jaden looked at the speaker phone with the intensity he'd be looking at Zane with. "Yeah...If Harrington had tried anything...well...I wouldn't have been able to play dumb after that..."

"Huh?" Zane wondered.

Jaden looked around at the guys in the room and then remembered that they hadn't been on the tennis courts that day. "Uh, Lex? Babe, could you explain that?"

Alexis sighed. "Have we ever told you guys exactly HOW Jaden and I ended up getting 'engaged?'"

"Sy said it involved Harrington and the tennis courts," Zane answered.

"We talked about it the first night we were home," Jaden added.

"I wasn't paying attention," Chazz said, a little shamefacedly. "So what happened, Alexis? I was at North Academy, sis..."

"Well, apparently, Harrington had a big crush on me. Of course I turned him down, like all those other stupid guys. But then he challenged Jaden to a duel for my hand in marriage...and lost. Pretty sore loser, too."

"Didn't he try dating Mindy?" Jaden asked.

"Who hasn't dated Mindy?" Chazz asked drily.

"What a jerk," Zane said. "So then what happened?"

"I won and played dumb," Jaden said. "I told her when I got up the nerve at the movie night I didn't want to win her like an anted up card..."

Alexis smiled and kissed his cheek. "And that's one of the reasons why I love you..."

Jaden blushed. Zane, somehow, could see it and smiled. "Did he try anything after that?" Jaden and Chazz looked at her.

Alexis frowned. "Well, actually, yeah...I've never told anyone. Remember when my room got broken into..?"

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It was a warm evening during Alexis's first year at the Obelisk Blue dorms. Mindy Carrington, Jasmine Fairbanks and Alexis Rhodes were heading back from the Obelisk hot spring wading pool. "That was so relaxing," Jasmine sighed.

"Yeah, almost as relaxing as Wrigley pushing me on the swing," Mindy sighed.

Alexis sighed as well, though partially in exasperation. "Oh, Mindy. You go through boyfriends like Jasmine goes through shoes," she sighed as they reached her door, which was open. "What? But I thought I closed and locked it before we left..."

"That's weird," Jasmine said and then they were staring into Alexis's room.

"Oh MY!" Mindy yelped. The room had been trashed.

"What happened?!" Jasmine asked, fearful.

Alexis' eyes were wide with shock. "Who...who would have done this??" she asked, shaking a little. As far as she knew, she had no enemies at the academy.

"We should call security," Jasmine said.

"Yeah!" Mindy added.

"Right...security," Alexis mumbled, still in a state of shock as she made her way to the phone. It was one of the few things still intact, and she called campus security.

An hour passed between the call and when the campus security people finished their investigation. "Miss Rhodes...the security cameras around your room were disabled and we found no finger prints," the female security officer said.

Alexis sighed, running a hand through her still damp hair. "All right...is there, anything I should do?"

"We'll send in the cleaning crew and repair the cameras. You can take what you need for tonight and sleep in a friend's dorm room tonight, all right?"

"You can stay with us," Mindy and Jasmine offered.

"Okay. Thanks, guys," she replied, smiling.

And so, Alexis ended up spending the night with Mindy and Jasmine. By morning she was able to get ready for class in her own room, and had returned to her normal daily schedule. At the moment she was heading towards the main academy building for morning classes and then felt someone grab her from behind. "Hello, Alexis..."

Alexis instantly tensed, but was able to break away and turn to face the voice. "Harrington?! What are you doing??" she asked, anger obvious in her eyes. He had no right to grab her like that.

"You know you shouldn't have refused me...or taken up with the Slifer Slacker..." Harrington was, she noted, also looking a little scary.

Alexis wasn't one to be scared easily, though, and simply glared at him. "I refused you because you're a jerk, Harrington. Unlike you, Jaden's actually a person I can stand being around. Now if you'll excuse me, I have classes to get to," she replied scathingly, turning around.

Harrington grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her up against a wall. "You're not going anywhere...and your room was nice...I liked it in there..."

This time she did get a little scared, but anger still covered it up. "What...that was YOU?! How dare you! Let go of me right now!!"

"You're not telling anyone...if you do...you'll pay for it," he said ominously.

Alexis' eyes narrowed into a fresh glare, though her anger was slowly dissolving into fear. "Oh really? And what exactly can YOU do??"

"I can get in your room while you're in there...And the cameras would be disabled so no one can get to you until I'm done with you..."

Her jaw dropped in shock at his words, all fear being consumed by fiery anger. "You... XXXXXXX!!!" Alexis screamed, punching him in the face and sending him flying. Harrington hit a small tree and was fortunately knocked out. By the time he woke up, his face was a bloody mess and he couldn't eat solid food for a week.

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"...and that's what happened," she finished, smirking.

Atticus grinned. "That's my little sis!"

Jaden scowled as did Chazz. "That JERK!" they both growled.

"But wow...that was why he was in the infirmary for a week?" Jaden asked. "Nice work, babe...but..." He looked a little upset.

"What's wrong, Jaden?" she asked, placing a hand on his arm.

"How could he treat you like that?"

Alexis sighed. "I guess...he and Mike are the same kind of person. Unfortunately, there are lots of people like that in the world..."

On the other end of the phone, Zane scowled darkly. "He's lucky you didn't tell...Atticus...I would've torn Rosewood a new one, if you know what I mean...you weren't there then...and I would've relished taking him down..."

The Ojama brothers appeared in Chazz's field of vision. "Boss...that's scary," Ojama Yellow said.

"Yeah, but I'd have done it too, you know," Chazz snarled softly. He had made the transition from love-struck classmate to protective brother fairly easily.

She smiled. "Thanks, guys. I know you would have. At least after that he left me alone."

"He'd better have," four boys growled. Alexis sweat-dropped, then yawned.

"Lex, you okay?" Jaden asked. "Sorry, Zane!"

"It's all right. Lexi, are you tired?"

She blushed a little. "Yeah...not sure why, though. Maybe it's because we stayed up so late last night and still woke up early."

"Well...in that case, get to bed early...I'll be taking a nap...I have to be at the airport in four hours...My flight takes off at one..."

"Man, that's late," Jaden said.

"Yeah...you sure you want to go so early, Zane?" Alexis asked.

"I have to...Sy needs me," Zane said simply. "It was the earliest flight I could book."

"Wow," Chazz breathed.

Alexis smiled. "It's nice to hear that, Zane. I know you've been trying to make-up for the way you treated him before..."

"Yeah...well...I was an idiot...At least I didn't turn dark, go on a rampage and nearly kill him before I came to my senses," Zane said seriously.

Both Alexis and Atticus sweat-dropped. "Well, point is, you didn't. And now you're trying to make-up for your mistakes, and that's great!" stated Atticus, grinning.

"Uh...yeah," Jaden and Chazz were sitting in a bit of a daze.

"Nice, Zane," Jaden said. "So, uh...Zane...take care of him, okay?"

"Okay, Jaden...Any other advice you can give a brother who's still trying to learn to be a good brother?"

"Yeah...give him a hug...and tell him he's being a good fiancé and a good...is nurse the word I'm looking for?" he asked the other kids.

Alexis laughed a little. "Maybe doctor is a better word, even if he's just helping..."

"Okay, doctor...Tell him he's a good doctor, too."

"Got it, Jaden...OH! I need Tyson and Rosa's number! I should..."

"Zane, we'll call them...it's 4 in the morning where they are...you get packed and go!" Chazz said. "Just make sure Sy's holding together and that Annie'll be okay."

"Gotcha."

"Talk to you later, Zane!" shouted Atticus.

Alexis sighed. "Bye, Zane!"

"Bye, Zane!"

"See you guys!" Zane said, and hung up. He went and packed, got his dinner and took a short nap before he headed to the airport.

_So Zane is going to Seattle to be with Sy. Quite a turnaround from the young man who stayed away for so long, isn't it? Well, next time, we'll see what happens when Zane arrives in Seattle in "Bond of Brothers." And we'll see how Tyson and Rosa take matters. Until then, everyone, please remember to read and review! Thanks in advance!_


	79. Bond of Brothers

Chapter LXXIX: Bond of Brothers

_Hello, again, everybody! We're so glad to see you again and are grateful you're still enjoying this tale after all this time. We welcome those of you who have just discovered "Summer Love, Summer Fears," and are glad if you like it! Anyway, thank you, dear reviewers and readers! If you want to review, please do so! We're always glad to hear from you. _

_And now…a recap. Previously, Violet Haverbrook was brutally attacked by her ex-boyfriend, along with a friend of hers. Violet survived the attack, but it was bad enough that Bastion sought vengeance. Unfortunately, upon getting the news of the attack, Annie's tachycardia hit her hard and she was rushed to a children's hospital not far from her home. Fortunately, the girls are on the mend, but Zane Truesdale has made the decision to go to Seattle to help his little brother. So what will happen next? Just stick around and we'll show you!_

_**Disclaimer: Uh…No…we don't own GX…we just play around in the universe. We've mentioned what we own… Thank you.**_

It was nine o'clock in Domino when Jaden picked up the phone to call Tyson and Rosa. "Man, I hate being the bearer of bad news...Chazz, you do it this time!"

"NO! You do it!"

"No, you!"

"No, YOU!" They were passing the mobile phone back and forth to each other.

Alexis, by now, was losing her patience and snatched the phone from them. "I'LL DO IT!! Geez," she growled, dialing the number. Jaden and Chazz sweat-dropped, laughing slightly.

Miles away, at 7 AM, Tyson Hassleberry awoke to a very loud trumpet ringtone. "I'M UP, GENERAL!" he shouted, startling Rosa awake as well.

"Ay, ay, a-oof!" Rosa yelled, falling out of the bed in a tangle of covers. "Ow..."

"Huh? Oh...sorry, darlin'...should've picked a different ringtone," Tyson apologized. He picked up, remembering to answer in English. "Hello, this is Tyson Hassleberry..."

"Hi, Tyson! It's Alexis. How are you and Rosa?" greeted Alexis, smiling. Meanwhile, Rosa was doing her best to get untangled and simultaneously climb back onto the bed.

"Pretty good...though I think I should change ringtones, Private Lexi...hold on a sec." He moved to help his fiancée out of the tangled sheets. "Sorry, Spanish Rose...it's Private Lexi..."

"Oh. Well, in that case, I do not mind. Hola, Senorita Alexis!" greeted Rosa in English.

"Hi, Rosa! Sorry, did I wake you guys up?" asked Alexis, frowning.

"Uh...well," Tyson sighed. "We needed to get up anyway...So, what's up? Is everything all right? After what happened with Private Violet..."

"Well...do you guys want the bad news or the good news first?" Alexis asked, grinning sheepishly.

Tyson looked at Rosa. "What do you want, Rosa?"

"Well, give us the mal news, first," she replied, frowning.

"All right...Annie had another attack. She's in the hospital...recovering," Alexis explained.

"Aw, no...how'd it happen?" Tyson's face went pale.

"She had it when Bastion told her about Violet. It caused her to have an episode..." Rosa's frown deepened in sadness when Alexis told them.

Tyson put his arm around Rosa. "But Private Annie's okay?"

"Yeah. She'll have to stay in the hospital for a few days, but she's supposed to make a full recovery," Alexis replied, smiling.

"Thank goodness," muttered Rosa in her native tongue.

"Aw, man...how's Private Truesdale holdin' up?"

"We're not exactly sure. Zane's going to stay in Seattle for a bit to be with him and make sure he's okay," explained Alexis, sighing.

"Oh, good...Glad to hear Lieutenant Zane is goin' up to be with his brother...Think we need to head back to the States to be with you guys?" He met Rosa's eyes as he asked this.

"No, don't worry. You two don't have to come back. You should enjoy your time together," she replied, smiling.

"Just tell us if we need to head back," Tyson looked really worried. "So...what's the good news?"

Alexis' smile got a little bigger. "Violet's going to be okay! She has to stay in the hospital, but she's still going to recover. Oh, and Bastion made sure that she won't have to worry about Mike ever again...the old-fashioned way," she explained, now grinning.

"Oh thank the Great General...wait a sec...Did Private Misawa...neutralize him?" Tyson's eyes were wide with shock.

"Uh...neutralize?" Alexis wasn't sure if he meant "kill" or "hurt"...or something else entirely.

"Uh...it means kill." Tyson was in shock at the thought Bastion might've....

"Oh! No, he didn't do that!! He did beat Mike's gang and scare him out of town, though," Alexis explained.

"Ah, like in Old Western videos!" stated Rosa.

"Sam Hill...Private Misawa...Sam Hill...who'd have thought that he had it in him?" Tyson stated in disbelief.

"We were just as surprised. But then...Jaden, Sy, and you would all do the same thing if your fiancée was hurt," Alexis reminded them.

"Yeah, I would...If that varmint Jorge ever tries to make a move on Rosa again..." Tyson's eyes flashed dangerously.

Rosa smiled and kissed him full on the lips for a few seconds, before pulling away. "I know what you would do, Ty-Ty...gracias."

"Aw...Rosa...darlin'...Private Lexi, keep us posted, will you, and when you talk to Private Truesdale, tell him he's proven just how brave a soldier he is..." From Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry, this was very high praise.

Alexis smiled happily. "All right. I'll be sure to do both of those things, Tyson. You guys have fun!"

"We will, Private Lexi," Tyson said. "We'll be talkin' with the Great General and I think we'll be goin' to a cathedral later..."

"Really? That's great! Well, I have to go now. Talk to you guys later!!" replied Alexis.

"Adios, Senorita Alexis!" Rosa said.

"Bye, Private Lexi," Tyson added and terminated the call. "What a way to wake up, huh, darlin'?" he asked, switching back to Spanish.

"Yes...though I really did not need to wake up on the hard floor..."

"Sorry about that...What ringtone should I do? The Marine Corps Anthem or..." They spent the next ten minutes discussing less hazardous ringtones, finally deciding on a mariachi ringtone.

A few hours later, Zane Truesdale was in the air, heading for Seattle. Zane hugged his parents goodbye at 11:30, got through security with no trouble and boarded his plane at 12:55 AM. To his relief, the plane was virtually deserted. 'One advantage of a red-eye flight...it's quiet,' he thought. At 1:10, the plane took off and in thirty minutes, the flight attendant came around with drinks.

"Excuse me, sir. Would you like anything?" The flight attendant was a tall, lean woman with black hair tied into a bun and green eyes.

"Yes, I would, thank you, ma'am. What do you have?"

"Well, we have water, orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, cranberry juice...Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew and fruit punch."

Zane hadn't had fruit punch in quite some time. "I think I'll have the fruit punch. It sounds good." He gave the woman a smile.

"All right." She quickly poured him a cup and gave it to him, then continued on down the walkway.

Zane drank it down and then called for another cup. And within five minutes of those two cups of punch, it hit him. "Oh crud..." He was up from his seat and into the bathroom at lightning speed. He made it in time and was doubled over in agony, groaning. "Ooh..."

And then... "This is your captain speaking. We are experiencing rough winds and the plane will shake slightly."

Zane was fortunate that the bathroom was so small. Nevertheless, he hit his face against the door. "DARN IT!"

It had been about fifteen minutes since Zane entered the bathroom, so it was mandatory for the flight attendant to check on him. "Excuse me sir. Are you all right?"

The first response that came to Zane's mind wasn't appropriate, so he managed, "Ma'am, was there by any chance, orange juice or orange flavoring in the fruit punch?"

She blinked in surprise. "Why, yes. Orange juice was one of the main ingredients. Is there a problem?"

Zane groaned. "I should've asked...I'm allergic to oranges..."

"Oh, my! Are you okay? We have an on-board medic..."

"Thank you...I'll be in the lavatory for a bit...Tell the medic it's like lactose intolerance. When I come out, if the medic has some stomach medicine, I'd appreciate it...Thank you..."

"All right." The flight attendant quickly left to go and get the medic. By the time Zane left the bathroom another ten minutes later, they were back.

The medic had shoulder-length brown hair with blonde streaks and green eyes. "You're the one with the allergy, correct?" she asked.

Zane sighed. "Yes, ma'am..."

She smiled. "Don't be embarrassed. Men and women older than you have done the same thing numerous times before. Here's something that should calm your stomach until we land..." The medic handed him a small baggy with two capsules in it.

"Thanks...I just need to be all right when we land...my little brother needs me..."

"I see. Well, just take those with some water. You may feel a little drowsy for the next six to eight hours, but it'll stop the allergic reaction," she explained.

Zane nodded and took the medicine. "Thank you...my brother's fiancée is in the hospital...she's got a heart condition..."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's so nice that you're flying up there to help your brother..."

"He's my brother...and I know he's scared half to death right now..." Zane yawned a little, the medication starting to take effect.

"You're such a good brother..." The medic may have said more, but Zane was too tired to hear it fully.

"Thanks," Zane said, drifting off to sleep. The next thing he knew, he was being gently shaken awake.

It was the flight attendant. "Excuse me, sir. We've arrived at the airport..."

Zane sat up. "Oh....thank you..." He opened up the shade near his seat to see the plane next to the gate and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It looked like Domino International Airport, in some ways, but he knew this wasn't Domino. The flight attendant helped him with his carry-on baggage and got him to the gate. "Thanks for your help," he said to the medic and the attendant.

"Think nothing of it," replied the attendant.

"We're glad to help," added the medic. Both waved as he left the gate and headed off through the airport. Zane yawned tiredly, heading out to the front of the airport. He went to Baggage Claim, picked up his single checked suitcase, and then took it and his two carry-on bags out and hailed a cab. He might've chosen to stop for breakfast, but decided he'd go straight to the hospital. The ride from Sea-Tac to Bellevue Children's took half an hour. He paid the cab driver and made his way into the hospital and up to Annie's room. Alex Hanson was dozing in a chair outside, but awoke when he heard footsteps and the sound of suitcase wheels.

"Huh? Oh! Zane, you're here!! How wonderful," Alex stated, getting to his feet happily.

"Hi, Alex...sorry it's so early...I'm sorry I woke you," Zane said, holding out his hand for the man to shake.

"No, no. Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you could come," he replied, shaking Zane's hand.

"Is Sy in there?"

"Yes. I'm not sure if he's sleeping or awake, though." The two entered the room to find Syrus asleep, his head resting on Annie's bed as he held her hand.

Zane's face softened. "I won't wake him..." He took one of his carry-on bags and pulled out a battered and much loved teddy bear and set it down next to his brother and sat down in a chair. Syrus mumbled something in his sleep, and as if by instinct pulled the bear closer.

Alex yawned and sat down in a free chair, smiling at Zane. "I'm sure he'll be glad to see you when he wakes up."

"Yeah...if I doze off, I apologize. I...had a problem on the plane," the young man admitted, a light pink flush appearing on his cheeks.

Alex decided it would be too embarrassing for Zane if he pried, so simply nodded. "Don't worry, that's perfectly understandable."

"Okay..." Zane was relieved he didn't have to go into it. "Have you been up all night?"

"Well, most of it. I was waiting for you but guess I fell asleep," he replied.

"Kathy and Bobby went home?" Zane asked, noticing that Annie's mom and brother hadn't been near the room at all.

"Yes. Kathy wanted to make sure the guest room was ready. I also told them to get some sleep..."

Zane nodded. "Good..." He yawned tiredly. "Urgh...I could stay up normally, but the allergy/stomach medicine is really hitting me...Sorry, Alex..." He yawned again, marveling that he'd managed to stay awake as long as he had.

"Like I said, don't worry about it. Go ahead and get some rest," Alex replied, smiling. Zane nodded, and was asleep in less than two minutes. When next he woke, a nurse was in the room checking Annie. Zane knew from experience that Syrus might just wake up.

Syrus yawned, opening his eyes slightly. When he noticed the nurse, he quickly sat up and off of Annie's bed to give her room. While Syrus was rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he realized that he was holding something. 'Mr. Fuzzy Bear...?' he thought, blinking in surprise.

Zane gently laid a hand on Sy's shoulder. "Hey, little brother..."

Sy's head snapped up in shock, but seconds later he was hugging Zane. "Zane...you're here," he said happily.

"Of course I am," Zane said softly, hugging back. "I brought you Mr. Fuzzy Bear..."

Syrus smiled, still holding the bear. "Yeah...thanks, Zane. When did you get here?" he asked.

"The plane landed a little after four in the morning. I got here a little before 6 and I took a nap. It's about 9:15 now...I woke up when the nurse came in to check Annie." Then he noticed the smudges under Sy's eyes. "You feeling all right?"

The younger Truesdale's smile faltered for half a second, before returning full force. "Yeah, just a little tired, I guess."

"Sy," Zane said in light warning. "It's okay to talk to me...something's wrong, isn't it?"

Syrus turned away slightly. "No, nothing's wrong," he replied. If Syrus DID want to talk, it obviously wasn't going to happen here.

Zane yielded the point for now. "How's Annie doing?"

He was glad for the change of subject, and turned to face Zane again. "A lot better. She just has to rest here in the hospital for a few days."

Annie moaned softly as the nurse moved away. "You might want to be right here, Syrus," the nurse invited, patting the chair he'd used to sleep. At this moment, Alex returned to the room. Syrus nodded and sat down, taking her hand again. Alex sat in another chair by the bed, smiling down at his daughter happily.

Annie's eyes fluttered open. "Mmmm...Sy? Daddy?"

"Morning, honey. Did you sleep well?" asked Alex.

"Good morning, Annie," added Syrus.

She was still pretty pale. "I think so...I still feel tired, though..." Her eyes were just focusing and then she noticed the new visitor. "Zane? What are you doing here?"

"I came early this morning to be with Sy and you. You feeling a little better?"

Annie sighed. "A little," she answered, sounding...defeated, for lack of a better word.

Syrus frowned slightly and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, Annie. Things'll be okay..."

Annie nodded tiredly. "Have you guys had breakfast yet?"

"No. They should be bringing yours soon. I'll go down and get something for the rest of us from the cafeteria," explained Alex.

Despite her tiredness, Annie looked at her father with a laser-like gaze. "Daddy, you've been up all night, and Sy, Zane, you have too...I want you guys to go home and get some sleep. Please?"

The three glanced at each other. "Annie, are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone," replied Syrus, frowning again.

"Sy...please...you're getting the dark smudges under your eyes like you did back in Domino...Get some sleep at my house and come back later in the day or tonight, okay?" She squeezed his hand with hers, the one that wore the engagement ring. "Please, Sy...I'll be all right..."

Sy sighed. "All right, Annie...but I'm definitely coming back later today," he stated reassuringly.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to stay here with you, honey?" asked Alex.

"I'm sure, Daddy...Mom can come later to check on me...I don't want anybody getting exhausted and sick because of me...Zane, you too..." Zane nodded.

"Okay, honey. We'll all go home and get some sleep. You try and rest, too, all right?" Alex replied as he stood.

Annie nodded. "Okay, Daddy. I love you..."

"I love you, too, honey," he replied, giving her a hug.

Syrus leaned over to give Annie a soft kiss on the lips, before pulling away to stand. "I love you, Annie."

"Love you too," she replied softly. "Zane?" she asked.

"Yeah, Annie?" She beckoned him so she could whisper in his ear.

"Get Sy to talk, please? He's worrying himself sick..."

"I will. I promise." "Thanks, Zane," she whispered, hugging him. "Bye, Daddy...Bye, Sy...Bye, Zane..."

"Bye, Annie," Syrus replied, waving.

"Bye, honey. Your mom'll be up here in an hour or so," explained Alex. The three men then left the room. The nurse came in with Annie's breakfast, and she was eating when the guys left.

Sy looked back at the room as they headed down the hall to the elevator, worried and Zane laid his hand on his little brother's shoulder. "It'll be okay...She's right..."

Sy sighed. "I know...I just don't like leaving her alone like this..."

"She's okay...and she'd worry if you stayed and got sick..." Syrus frowned, knowing Zane was right as they got into the elevator.

"She'll be fine, Syrus," added Alex.

Zane just kept his hand on Sy's shoulders as they rode the elevator down to the ground floor of the hospital and as they walked to the car. "She'll be okay...and she's not alone...even if you're apart, you're still together."

Syrus looked at Zane as they got into the car. "Really?"

"Yeah," Zane answered. "You're together here and here," he explained, pointing to his head and his heart.

The younger Truesdale smiled, leaning against Zane and yawning as the car drove off. "All right..."

The ride back to Medina took 15 minutes. Alex helped Zane with his bags and got the Truesdale brothers into the house. Kathy Hanson, now well rested, came out of her room looking much better than when she'd left the hospital. "Alex, I'm glad you're home...and this must be Zane," she said.

"Yes, ma'am...Thanks for keeping me..."

"Of course, honey, and please call me Kathy. Alex, should I go? Bobby's gone to work..."

"That would be great, honey. I don't like leaving her alone there for too long," Alex replied, smiling and then he kissed his wife, while the Truesdale brothers went to the guest room together.

"Sy...this house is huge... are you in one of the other guest rooms?" Zane wondered as they walked.

Syrus blushed a little. "Well, uh...no, actually. I'm staying with Annie," he mumbled, a bit embarrassed.

"Oh? Like when you two were in Domino?"

"Uh, yeah. It's really nice, actually...and I think it helps her..."

"Does it help you, too?"

Sy was taken aback by the question, and went silent for a few moments. "I...I guess so..."

"Sy... go get your pajamas on and come back in here, okay? Let's just talk for a bit," Zane invited.

Syrus was going to say no, that he was fine, but his brain let out the exact opposite answer. "Okay..." He sighed inwardly and left the room, going to his own and getting on a pair of navy blue pajamas. Syrus then returned to Zane's room, if not a bit hesitantly.

When he returned, Zane was in a pair of navy blue pajamas as well. He smiled ruefully. "I think we have the same fashion sense, don't we?"

Sy couldn't stop himself from smiling, and sat down on the bed next to Zane. "So...uh, what did you want to talk about?"

Zane looked at his brother quietly. "Sy...you weren't comfortable talking at the hospital about what's going on, were you?"

Syrus tensed a little, frowning. "I...didn't want to worry anyone," he mumbled, staring at the floor.

"Annie's worried...I'm worried. Please talk, Syrus. You're going to do like you've always done and worry yourself sick. Just talk it out..."

Sy's frown deepened a little. "It...it's just all this stuff that's happened. I can't understand why it's happening to us, over and over again....it's not like what happened at school..."

"Yeah?"

"I mean, what if more stuff happens?? Even worse things, when it's already so bad...what if..?" Syrus stopped. He couldn't say it.

Zane pulled him into a hug. "What are you worried about happening?"

"What if...what if someone dies?! What if...Annie dies..?" he murmured, heart aching as tears brimmed his eyes just at the thought.

Zane held him close. "Sy...shh...I know..."

"Zane, I...I don't know what I'd do if that happened," Syrus mumbled, the tears starting to fall.

Zane just held his brother and rocked him gently. "Just let it out...it's okay to be scared..."

"B-But...I have to b-be strong for Annie..."

"Look me in the eyes, little brother. Being strong doesn't mean you shut off your fear. I tried that and...it could've destroyed me...Syrus, you and the gang made me realize that. And she knows you're scared and trying to swallow it. She asked me to get you to talk because she knew you were hiding it. Be strong by talking," Zane concluded.

Syrus sniffed a little, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "Zane, I...are you sure it won't just make everyone else worry?"

Zane nodded. "I'm sure, Sy...and Annie'll be glad that you're talking instead of bottling it up. Now, why don't we get a little breakfast and take a rest? You're really looking tired, Sy...and you know what Mom would say if she saw you like this," Zane grinned, attempting to make his brother laugh. "'Syrus Aidan Truesdale...you're going to end up in the ER today if you're not careful!'" he said in a high voice like his mother's.

Syrus smiled, laughing a little at Zane's impression of their mother. "I guess you're right. Thanks, big brother..."

"No problem...Now where's the kitchen?"

Sy got up and led Zane to the Hansons' kitchen, stomach growling slightly as they entered. "Looks like I'm a little hungry, after all..."

"Sy...what'll you have?" Zane asked.

"Hm…I guess some cereal would be fine for me," the younger teen replied, getting some milk.

Zane looked at him. "You sure?"

"Yeah...what about you? I'm not exactly sure what they have around here...usually Kathy or Alex just make breakfast before we're even up," Syrus explained, scanning the cupboards for a moment before grabbing a bowl.

"Cereal's all right with me...I cooked a little bit when I was at that hotel when I first dueled in the pros."

Syrus grinned a little as he got down a box of corn flakes. "Did you burn down the room?" he asked, smirking.

Zane actually grinned back. "Nope...hey, do you see any Lucky Charms up there?"

Syrus got on his tiptoes, glancing around the cupboards. "Yeah. But it's, uh, on the top shelf," he replied, sweat-dropping.

Zane smiled. "I'll get it." He reached up easily and got the cereal. "I haven't had this in quite awhile. Just think how it would look...the Kaiser of Duel Academy...eating Lucky Charms..." He said this with a perfectly straight face.

Syrus laughed as he poured the corn flakes into a bowl. "Your fan girls might find it cute."

Zane groaned. "Stupid fan girls..."

"Are they really that bad? I think it'd be nice if girls liked me...before I met Annie," Sy replied, grinning sheepishly.

"Sy...it's nice when a girl likes you, but not when she's trying to pressure you into stuff when you don't even know her," Zane sighed again. "I've nearly gotten mauled a few times..."

"Really??" Syrus asked as they sat at the table. He didn't know fan girls could be so...violent.

"Yeah...I heard Aster had stalkers..."

Sy sweat-dropped. "All right, I take it back...I'm glad I never had fan girls."

Zane smirked. "You have one special fan girl and that's all that matters."

Syrus blushed a little and smiled. "Yeah...you're right..."

The two boys ate their cereal and chatted. "Sy? We haven't done this in a long time..."

"Yeah...not since before you went to train in the mountains," Sy replied, frowning a little.

"Yeah...the Himalayas were kinda fun sometimes...especially the Yeti sightings," Zane said, hiding a smile.

Syrus nearly spit out the cereal he'd been chewing. "Y-Yeti sightings?!"

Zane started to crack up. "You fell for it! Just like Chancellor Shepherd!"

Sy blinked, confused for a moment, before sighing. "Zane...I can't believe you actually made a joke."

Zane was puzzled. "Huh?"

"Well, it's just, after you got back from training, and at the school, you didn't really seem to have a sense of humor."

"Was I that bad?"

The younger boy grinned sheepishly. "Uh, well, kinda...I mean, I almost never even saw you smile."

"Hmmm...Annie would say I turned into Mr...Spock, right?"

Syrus remembered the person from what little he'd seen of Star Trek and grinned. "Yeah, pretty much."

Zane chuckled. "Well...I'm taking cues from Jaden now..."

"That explains a lot," Sy replied, sweat-dropping.

"Well...the Yeti thing...that was all me...we all pulled that stunt on Chancellor Shepherd..."

"And he fell for it every time?" asked Syrus.

"Yup..." They ate their breakfast and then headed to the guestroom for some sleep. "Sy?"

"Yeah, Zane?"

"I'm glad to be here with you, even though I wish things were better..."

Syrus smiled, hugging his brother. "I'm glad you're here, too, Zane..."

"Now, let's get some sleep so you can go see Annie later." Zane looked thoughtful. "Sy, do you want to sleep with me in my room?" Sy glanced at the ground, then nodded. He really didn't want to sleep alone. "It's okay...It'll be like when..." Zane somehow didn't want to bring up all the times Sy had been afraid of things and come running to his big brother's room when they were small. "Uh..."

Syrus blushed a little, knowing what his brother was thinking. "Yeah...like when I used to do that..."

"Okay...c'mon..." The two boys climbed into bed in Zane's guestroom and were soon fast asleep.

_So it looks like the Truesdale brothers are now perhaps what they should have been all along. Zane is actually talking to his brother, helping Sy as best he can. We hope you like the change that has come over Zane. So next time, Annie will get to talk to Violet for the first time since they both landed in the hospital in "Secure Insecurity!" Thanks again for reading and reviewing! See you next time!_


	80. Secure Insecurity

Chapter LXXX: Secure Insecurity

_Hello again, SLSF fans! We thank you, as always, for coming, reading and reviewing. We're pleased you're here again. And what a ride it has been! Anyway, on with the latest chapter. _

_**Disclaimer: Yeah. We don't own GX. We just own our OCs and this version of the Yugi-verse. We also don't own any brand name drinks. Nor do we own any prescription drugs. If we did, we would be rich beyond the dreams of avarice.**__**We also don't own the Italian Spaghetti House, one of Peach's favorite pizza places ever. It's a Seattle institution.**_

The Truesdale boys slept until 2 in the afternoon. Zane awoke at 2 and let Sy sleep a little longer while he put in a call to his parents. His mother was at home, fortunately, and Zane was glad to get a chance to talk to her. "Hey, Mom..."

"Oh, hello, Zane! How are things going?" Darla greeted, smiling happily on the other end of the line.

"Oh, okay. I got some sleep partly thanks to some...allergy medication...I had fruit punch and it had oranges in it..."

She sighed. "Oh, Zane. Was it as bad as the last time?"

Zane groaned. "Fortunately, no...I actually made it to the bathroom in time and I wasn't in a group..."

Darla sweat-dropped at the memory. "Well, that's good. How's Syrus?"

"Still sleeping. And he talked to me, Mom...he really talked to me. We laughed about things...Mom, question..."

'It's so nice that they were able to talk...it's been so long since they did,' she thought happily. "Yes, Zane?"

"Have I really been so serious lately? Sy was shocked when I told a joke..."

Darla sighed again. "Well, Zane, you just went through some tough times in your life. You made some bad decisions, but you're trying to make up for it and that's all that matters. Syrus will come to get used to the old you again..."

"Yeah...He's been hiding a lot, Mom. He's scared he's going to lose Annie or somebody else. Getting him to come back here with me was a challenge. Annie had to insist on it..." He sighed. "If something happens, I'm worried about what'll happen to him."

She frowned. "I see...he needs someone strong to support him right now, Zane. I'm not saying you made him insecure the way he is on purpose, but being there for him now would be a big help."

"Yeah...he thought being tough meant you didn't talk about what was scaring you...Did I teach him that?"

"I'm afraid so, son. It's a proven fact that younger siblings always look up to their older brothers and sisters. But you've seen your mistakes and changed for the better, so just be a good role model for him."

"I've decided I needed a role model on how to be a better brother...I picked Jaden Yuki...he's been good for Sy..."

"Yes, he has. I'm sure Jaden will give you a few pointers. But you have to try and be a better brother yourself, too."

"Yeah, I know, Mom...Do you want to talk to Sy? He really should wake up..."

"Yes, I'd like to talk to him..."

"Okay, just give me a minute..." Zane sat back down on the huge guest bed and scooted so he could shake Sy's shoulders gently. "Sy...Syrus, wake up...Mom's on the phone..."

Syrus yawned, opening his eyes a bit. "Mom...?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah...I called to check in...Just talk to her a bit, okay?" Zane asked, handing his brother the phone.

Sy blinked, yawning again. "Hi, Mom..."

Darla smiled. "Hi, Sy! How's my boy?"

"Okay..."

"Syrus, I don't want you pushing yourself, all right? It's not healthy," Darla began.

"I know, Mom. I won't..."

"Okay. And just talk to Zane if anything's bothering you."

"All right..."

"I have to go to work now, honey. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom...bye."

Zane took the phone, said goodbye to his mother and then hung up the phone. "You want to get ready and go see Annie, Sy?"

"Yeah. You think Alex is up yet?" asked Syrus as he climbed out of bed.

"I don't know...Bobby might be, though..."

Sure enough, when the boys left the room... "Afternoon, Sy...Oh, you must be Zane. I'm Bobby, Annie's brother. Thanks for coming. Mom called while you were asleep and said she'd be glad to see you guys when you were awake and feeling better." Zane nodded. The dark smudges under Syrus's eyes had diminished somewhat and he seemed happier. "How are you feeling, Sy?" Bobby asked.

He smiled. "Better. I was really tired...so I guess it's a good thing I came back to sleep for a bit."

"That's good. Do you want to stay at the hospital with Annie tonight?"

"Yeah. I don't like leaving her...even if she's not alone," Syrus replied.

Bobby smiled at this. "Okay...either of you hungry yet?" Zane looked at Sy.

"A little," Sy mumbled, glancing at his stomach.

"That means you need to eat a little something, Sy," Zane said.

Bobby nodded. "Okay, I can make us some sandwiches. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah!" Syrus answered, smiling.

"All right, then, that sounds good to me, too," Zane said calmly.

"Okay, you'll have to tell me what you like since Mom's usually the one to make lunch," Bobby said as they walked into the kitchen.

"Okay...I'm good with whatever, as long as oranges are not involved," Zane explained, thinking of the incident on the plane.

Bobby nodded. "What about you, Sy?"

"I'll eat whatever you make for Zane," he replied. Syrus felt better than he had in weeks, for some reason.

Bobby made a few roast beef sandwiches and added some celery sticks, carrots and potato chips to go with. "What'll you have to drink?"

"Water's good with me," Zane answered. "Sy?"

"A diet Dr. Pepper, thanks..."

"Okay!" Bobby got out the soda and set it down. "You want a glass or are you okay with it in the can?"

"A can's fine. Thanks for making all of this," Syrus replied, smiling.

"No big...when Annie was younger, she cooked for me sometimes...She makes good desserts..."

"Really?" Sy asked.

"Yeah...she makes good chocolate chip cookies."

"Oh, that sounds nice," Zane said.

"I've never had Annie's cooking before," Sy murmured thoughtfully.

"When she gets home and is feeling a little stronger, she'll probably insist on making something for you," Bobby grinned as he took a bite of his sandwich.

Syrus smiled. "She doesn't have to if he doesn't want to," he replied, finishing his food.

Bobby grinned more widely. "She wants to...when she emailed us about bringing you home before the semester ended and she actually wanted to cook you dinner."

"Really? I wonder why she didn't do it before..."

"She wanted to do it here with you...Mom, Dad and I would conveniently leave the house for dinner. Zane, that means you're involved if Annie's strong enough and if that's all right with you. Mom's been worried about Annie being left alone cooking," Bobby concluded. Zane nodded in agreement.

"Oh, okay. That sounds great!" Syrus stated happily.

"She won't let it drop, will she?" Zane wondered.

Bobby shook his head. "Annie can be really stubborn, as sweet as she is. You can tell her no, but she will dig in her heels if she thinks she's right. And she almost never gives up."

"Sounds like some other people we know," Sy grinned.

"Yeah?" Bobby asked, curiously. "Annie's told us about her friends, but Sy, I'd like to hear it from you..."

"Yeah, Sy...you can tell it better than me," Zane added.

"Well, Chazz is pretty stubborn. Or, at least, he was. He's starting to open up more. Jaden's stubborn but more in a good kind of way...and Alexis is stubborn, too."

Zane snickered. "Oh, yeah..."

"Alexis? Wasn't she the Obelisk girl that Annie was mad at her first year?" Bobby asked curiously, remembering an email from his sister that told of her anger and her feeling bad about having gotten so angry.

Syrus sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Uh, well, she kind of made her mad..."

"What did she do?" Bobby was really curious.

This made him sweat-drop even more. "Well...Alexis kinda threatened to get Jaden and me expelled for being by the girls' dorm. I went there because of a fake love letter..."

"Yeah?" Bobby said. "And then?" Then he remembered. "That's why she snuck out of the dorm, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, she wanted to check on me and make sure I was all right."

"It took her a few days to really cool off about it...Good thing Alexis knew she liked sweets..."

"Uh..." Zane wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Syrus blinked. "She does??"

"Yeah...Annie likes chocolate...she got mad at Violet for violating the sanctity of her stash before the movie night...'Bobby, she got into my candy!' Did Violet blame Chazz for that?"

"Yeah, she did. But that wasn't exactly the worst part," he replied, sweat-dropping.

Bobby and Zane exchanged glances. Since Zane had checked out after the popcorn incident and hadn't dared ask why Dr. Crowler had been so ticked the next day, both older boys asked, "What happened?"

"Uh, well...Annie asked Chazz if he raided her room, but he wouldn't answer. So, she asked the Ojama Brothers—Chazz's duel spirits—and they said no. But...he did raid Violet's room..."

"Why?" Bobby asked, Zane in the know because Atticus had told him later.

"...because Bastion and Atty dared him..." Syrus still appeared to be shocked a little at the revelation, even after seeing Bastion's feelings for her.

Zane started to snicker. "And then what happened?" Sure, Atticus had told him things, but the older Truesdale wanted to hear it from his brother.

Syrus sighed. "Well, Violet's temper flared up like it usually does and she brought out her pink 'bazooka'...it's really a big potato gun. But anyway, she chased Bastion and Atty around outside, and Atty kinda flew through the wall..."

Zane doubled over laughing. "Oh, man, I thought Atticus looked a bit singed...And then what happened?"

"Well, Violet and Bastion never told us what really happened outside after that. But, they did come back in looking a bit dirty and messy..."

Bobby, older in his day, grinned wickedly. "Perhaps you should trust your instincts and not ask about it."

"I don't think they did anything. Knowing Violet and Bastion...they probably fell into a bush or something," Zane commented in his normal dry way.

Syrus sweat-dropped at Bobby's idea. "Well, uh, they might tell us if we asked."

"We'll ask later, if they're up to it," Zane commented. "Let's go get dressed. Annie's probably awake..."

"Okay," Sy replied. The two went to get dressed, Zane going to the guest room and Syrus going to his and Annie's room. The older boys took quick showers to wake themselves up and in Zane's case, to feel less grungy after a plane trip. They pulled on polo tops and khaki shorts and flip-flops.

"Zane? Are you ready??" called Syrus, knocking on his door.

"Yeah, I'm ready, bro!" Zane answered, coming out of the room.

Bobby emerged from his room, as well. "I'm going to take you guys over. Dad's exhausted. Mom'll be glad that you'll spell her. Sy, do you have an overnight bag?"

"Yeah. I put some things in it and left it in our room!" Syrus quickly ran back to the room to grab to bag.

Zane clapped his little brother on the shoulder when Sy came back. "I got a bag, too, just in case you'd like me to stay with you, Sy, though if you want me to come back here tonight, I can..."

"Thanks, Zane. I'd...like that," he replied, smiling.

"Okay...just as long as I'm not intruding..."

"Don't worry. Let's go, Annie's waiting!" Syrus wanted to see her again.

The three guys headed out to Bobby's car, a 2015 Mercedes CLK 450 Kompressor, and climbed in. "Sweet ride," Zane commented.

"Yeah. I made enough working for Dad to get it..."

"What exactly do you do at your dad's company, Bobby?" asked Syrus curiously.

"I do all kinds of stuff. I design posters promoting projects, I help along product design and I keep an eye on timetables."

"Timetables??"

"When someone has a project that they're working on, I make sure that person gets it completed on time," Bobby explained.

"Oh," he replied. In a few more minutes they were at the hospital and parked.

The boys walked to the main building, got into the elevator and headed up to the fifth floor. They headed down the hall and Kathy was waiting. "She just woke up and she's asking for you, Sy..."

"Thanks, Kathy." Syrus replied before quickly going into the room, sending Annie a smile. "Hi, Annie!"

"Hi, Sy," Annie said tiredly. Her color was better, and she was able to hug him with some strength. "I just woke up and I was glad you'd gone home to take a rest..."

"You look a lot better...I'm gonna stay overnight again to be with you. It's okay if Zane stays, too, right?" he asked, sitting in a chair.

"Yeah...Oh, I wish this hadn't happened. I wanted to do something for you tonight..."

Syrus decided to act like he didn't know anything about what she had planned. "Oh, really? What??"

"I wanted to make dinner for us..."

He smiled. "It's okay, Annie. Maybe you can do it when you're out of the hospital and feeling stronger."

"Yeah...Mom, Dad, and Bobby would've gone out and left us alone."

"I'm sure they'll still do it if you ask them to, when you feel up to doing it," Syrus stated encouragingly, taking her hand.

"Yeah, maybe..."

Zane stood quietly listening to the conversation and stepped out of the room with Bobby and Kathy. "I'll be their chaperone tonight...What did the doctors say about her?"

Kathy looked worried. "She has to stay here a few days at least. The fact that the attack was so bad after the medicine she's been on is a cause for concern, so they're monitoring her carefully. Did you two get some rest?"

"Yeah, thank you. Bobby was kind enough to make us lunch."

Kathy smiled. "Nice, sweetie...you actually managed lunch?"

"Yes, Mom...and I didn't burn down the kitchen." "Good," she said. "Zane, are you sure you're okay with staying tonight?"

"Yeah."

"We'll send you boys some dinner, okay?"

"Okay, thanks, Kathy..." And so Kathy and Bobby went in, spoke briefly with daughter and sister, and headed home. The Truesdales and Annie were now alone again.

"Hey, Zane."

"Hey Annie...I'll just keep an eye on you two, okay?"

"Okay."

Syrus smiled happily, still holding Annie's hand. "At least we still have all of summer break, right? So it's okay if you have to stay in the hospital for a few days," he stated optimistically.

"Yeah..." Annie's eyes went sad.

"Annie?" Zane asked, noticing. "What's going on?" Something in her eyes spoke of incredible pain.

"Annie, what's wrong? Please tell me," Sy asked.

"What if...I can't go back?"

"What do you mean, Annie?" Syrus asked, frowning.

"What if I can't go back to Duel Academy? What if they don't let me?"

He hadn't thought of this. What if they didn't? What would he do?? "Well, then I'll....just stay with you!"

"No...you can't give up," she said, struggling with tears.

"Annie," Zane tried.

"But I can't just leave you behind...I can't," Sy replied, frowning sadly.

"I can't let you sacrifice your future..."

"And what about yours?"

"What if I have no future?" she asked him, agonized.

That struck the heart of his current problems, and he hugged her. Tears burned at the back of his eyes, feeling the same agony she was. "You will, Annie...I don't know what I'll do if you don't..."

She just held onto him. Zane decided to do something and hugged them both. "Annie...nothing is written in stone...and Sy...somehow, things will work out...something tells me that the powers that be aren't through with you yet..."

Syrus looked up at his brother. "Really? You think so??" he asked.

"Yeah...I don't seem like the praying type, do I?" Zane asked, smiling slightly. "But...I do believe and I have to believe that you two aren't done yet...and not for a long time."

Syrus was able to pull out a smile, glancing at Annie. "He's right, Annie...we don't know for sure about anything yet..."

"Yeah, I guess you're right...I'm just being stupid..."

"No, you're worrying...like I've been. We just have to stop worrying so much and try to...have hope," he explained as best as he could.

"Yeah..." Annie was trying to convince herself, but she was at a low point.

And Zane realized it. "Hey...maybe we should watch a movie...Sound good?"

"Yeah! What do you think, Annie?" Sy asked enthusiastically.

Annie nodded. "Okay, that kind of sounds good...what should we see?"

"How about an oldie? How about Shrek?" Zane asked.

"Sy, what do you think?" Annie asked.

"That sounds pretty good to me. I haven't seen that in a while," he replied, smiling.

"Okay," Annie said, getting a small smile on her face.

Zane, fortunately, had packed a few movies in his overnight bag and Shrek was one of them. "Okay, then. It's about 5:30, so your mom or dad'll bring in dinner...Annie, just relax, okay?"

"I want to talk to Violet..."

Syrus did the math in his head. "Well, it's 8:30 there. You think it would be okay?"

"Probably," Annie said thoughtfully.

"Okay. You can use my cell phone, Annie," Syrus replied, pulling it out of his pocket and handing it to her.

Annie nodded and thumbed the contact button. Miles away at Cleveland General, Bastion's cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Bastion?"

"Hey, Annie! How are you feeling? Oh, I'm so bloody sorry...I shouldn't have told you the way..."

"Bastion...there was no right way to tell me...So don't beat yourself up, all right?"

"All right...I'm guessing you'd love to talk to Violet right now, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I'd love to...Is she okay?" Bastion glanced over at the bed, where Violet was definitely awake. "Violet darling, are you up to talking with Annie?"

Violet blinked, eyes half-lidded as a smile flew across her face. "Annie? Sure!" she replied giddily.

Bastion said, "She's ready to talk to you, Annie...and I think she'll be rather entertaining..." He gave her the phone, which she held in her right hand.

"Hi, Violet!" Annie said, feeling happier.

"Hi ya, Annie! How ya doin'?" she asked, grinning broadly.

"Okay...how are you? I heard...you got hurt pretty bad..."

Violet blinked, glancing from her new cast to the tube connected to her body. "Uh...yeah, you could say that. But I'm feelin' great! They gave me this pain medicine stuff with a funny name..."

"Percocet?"

"Yeah! That's it, perk-a-set," Violet replied. It was pretty obvious by now that her mind was a little farther off than usual.

"Uh...Violet?"

"Yes, Annie?"

"You're feeling really good right now, aren't you?"

"Uh...yep! That perk-a-set's some crazy stuff, I'll tell ya. Oh, oh! Guess what!!" Violet was grinning once again, this time with excitement.

"What?" Annie looked very puzzled and Sy and Zane noticed. "Violet's high," she mouthed.

Syrus' eyes widened, taking her words a bit too literally. Meanwhile, Violet lifted her casted arm about an inch off of the bed. "I'm part robot! Like a cyborg!! They put this, this uh...metal thing in my wrist!"

"Violet...you're not a cyborg," Annie said, noticing Zane snickering.

"Sy...she meant that Violet was on drugs...they're legal, but they're making her silly."

"Oh...oh, boy," replied Syrus, sweat-dropping.

Violet blinked on the other end of the line. "That's what Bastion-baby keeps tellin' me...are you guys telepathic or somethin'?"

Bastion, on Violet's end of the phone, couldn't help it. He started laughing. On the other end of the line, Annie started laughing too. "No...we just like freaking you out..."

Violet pouted. "Now you guys are both laughing...I don't see what's so funny. Is there something on my head??"

"No...it's just...Violet, it's okay..." Annie was laughing happily, and the Truesdale brothers were relieved.

Violet sighed, which caused her to cough a few times. The medication may have been holding off the pain, but the tube connected to her still caused some problems. "Hey, Annie, you sure I'm not a cyborg? 'Cause they've got this tube-thingy connected to me...maybe it's a battery charger..."

"Where is it connected to?" Annie asked. She hadn't been awake long enough for anyone to tell her just how badly Violet had been injured.

Violet frowned, and had to shift her hospital gown slightly to check. "Uh...looks like around my chest. See! I bet they replaced my heart with a battery so that I could recharge 'cause I'm a cyborg!!"

Annie went pale. "What?!"

"Ow...what's wrong?" Violet pouted and held the phone out to Bastion. "Bastion-baby, I think I said something wrong. Can you talk to Annie for me?"

Bastion took the phone. "Annie? Annie, are you all right?" Annie was trembling now. "Her heart..."

It seemed Annie had taken Violet's giddy ramblings a bit literally. "All I said was they probably replaced my heart with a battery to recharge my cyborg parts," Violet muttered, poking the cast with her now-free hand.

"Oh, bugger," Bastion sighed. "Annie, she's fine...she just had to have a chest tube. It was her lung and it's reinflated now...Don't go having an attack, now..."

"Ooh…" Annie was trying to take some deep breaths.

Syrus took Annie's hand again. "Annie, what's wrong? Are you okay??" he asked worriedly.

"Annie...hand the phone to Syrus..." Bastion said commandingly. Annie did. "Syrus?"

"Yeah, Bastion? What happened??"

"Violet is in a rather...unusual mood and I think she might've scared Annie. Violet told her that she might've had her heart replaced and I think Annie may have not taken Violet's joke attempt well. Is Annie all right?" Annie was trembling but her heart rate hadn't shot up catastrophically.

"Oh, so that's what happened. She's a little shaken up, but I don't think dangerously so...is Violet really that, uh..." Syrus was trying to think of an appropriate word that wouldn't sound insulting.

"She's very...doped up at the moment...wonderful things, those medications..." Violet was currently playing with a few loose strands of Bastion's hair, fully content.

"Well, as long as it helps. I wonder what Annie would be like on that stuff," Sy wondered.

Bastion, at the moment, was relieved that Violet's family had gone home for a rest. "That would be interesting to find out...Syrus, do you think Annie could handle being told everything now?"

"Maybe I should ask her," he replied. "Uh, Annie, do you think you could handle hearing the whole story and everything now?"

Annie nodded. "Yeah...I need to know since Violet's okay..."

"All right." Syrus got back on the phone. "She says it's okay, Bastion..." He handed her back the cell phone so Bastion could explain.

"Annie, are you all right now?" Bastion asked.

"Yeah...Bastion, how bad was Violet hurt?"

Bastion told her everything, telling her what Mike had done, how Violet had been harmed and saved and then he decided to tell her about the later fight. "I told him, 'Run...run away and never return.' He looked rather frightened when I said that..."

"You sounded just like Jeremy Irons crossed with Matthew Broderick when you said that," Annie said, eyes wide.

"Run, run, as fast as you can...you can't catch me...I'm the Gingerbread woman!" Violet sang groggily, smiling a little.

Bastion smiled. "That's an interesting choice of words, darling...Annie did you hear that?"

Annie laughed. "Yes! But wow...Bastion, you took on a whole gang...cool!"

"Annie, they were idiots..."

"Still...boy, Violet just paraphrased part of the movie we're watching tonight. We're watching Shrek..."

"Oh, I wish this were Domino Children's and that we were in the same room together...we could watch."

"Watch what? Children playing dominoes??" asked Violet. By now she was starting to doze off.

"Shrek, darling...They're watching Shrek...Annie, she's falling asleep, now..." Annie smiled. "I'm glad you two are all right..." Annie choked up, crying from relief.

"Annie," Bastion murmured, worried for his surrogate sister. Syrus wrapped his arms around her in a hug, knowing the tears were good ones. While one hospitalized girl cried, the other fell asleep on the other side of the country. "She's sleeping now," Bastion said over the phone.

Zane took the phone. "Annie's okay...she's just crying because she's happy. Bastion, we'll check in with you tomorrow, okay?"

"All right, and I believe I'll turn in as well...Good night, Zane..."

"Night, Bastion."

"See, Annie? They're fine," whispered Syrus soothingly.

Annie hugged Sy tightly back. "Thank You, God," she whispered, the tears rolling down her face. "Sy?"

"Yeah, Annie?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what, Annie?" he asked, confused.

"For almost giving up..."

Syrus smiled a little and hugged her closer. "It's okay, Annie. Anyone would have been like that...after all of the stuff we've been through...."

"Thanks for riding it out with me," she said. Zane smiled at the scene. And then the three kids heard footsteps, and Annie's father arrived with dinner.

Alex smiled. "You kids hungry? I brought pizza!" he stated, walking over to the bed.

Syrus grinned. "How does that sound, Annie?"

"Sounds good...Thanks, Daddy..."

"No problem, honey." Alex noticed the movie Zane was holding. "Were you guys going to watch something?"

"Yeah...We're going to watch Shrek. Would you like to join us?" Zane offered.

"Why, sure. Pizza and Shrek sounds like a fun combination, doesn't it?" Alex replied. He set the pizza down on a side table, and Syrus nodded in agreement.

"Yeah..." Annie beckoned Sy to sit next to her on her bed and Zane got the movie in the player.

"I'll run and grab some napkins, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Zane," replied Syrus happily.

Alex smiled. "So, what have you three been up to?"

"I slept a lot," Annie explained, "and then...I kind of had a low moment...I was being stupid..."

"Oh, come now, honey. It couldn't have been that bad," Alex stated soothingly.

"It was bad enough," Annie admitted, ashamed of herself.

Syrus gave Annie's hand a light squeeze. "Don't worry, Annie. At least you aren't still in the slump, right?"

"Yeah...I just feel silly afterward...you know how I am, don't you, Dad?" she asked. "Sy, Mom and Dad never had to punish me as a little girl...I kind of punished myself..."

Alex placed a strong hand on his daughter's shoulder comfortingly. "We always had to explain that it was all right. As long as you don't go too far, Annie..."

Annie smiled and recognized the pizza box. "Daddy, you didn't go all the way to Lake City Way, did you?" She was happy but astonished. "Sy, this is from my favorite pizza place, and it's all the way in Seattle!"

Alex grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, I figured my little girl could use a picker-upper to cheer her up. I even got your favorite," he explained.

"Really? What's your favorite, Annie??" Syrus asked curiously, smiling.

Annie was absolutely delighted. "This is from a place called the Italian Spaghetti House. It's been on Lake City Way since 1968 and about 12 years ago, the owners were going to sell out and close down but things didn't work out and they kept up. The place is a Seattle institution and they make the best pizza. The mozzarella cheese they use strings perfectly! You got the four-meat with black olives and mushrooms, didn't you, Daddy?"

"Of course. And I was sure to get a large so everyone can have plenty," Alex answered, smiling.

"Sounds great, Annie! I can't wait to try it," added Syrus.

Then Zane was back with the napkins. "Does anyone want any drinks? I can head back down to the cafeteria..."

"I'll go get those, Zane. You kids go ahead and start the movie. What would you three like?" Alex asked, standing.

"I'd like a diet cola, whatever they've got," Zane answered.

"I'll just have a Sprite or Sierra Mist, Dad..."

"I'll have a diet cola, too," added Syrus.

"All right, be back in a few," Alex replied, leaving the room.

Annie sank back into her pillows with Sy sitting next to her. "Boy, all we need is the gang here and you guys having an eating contest or something..."

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned softly.

"Maybe we could all do something when we're back in Domino, before school starts again," offered Syrus, smiling.

"That'd be nice," Annie said, pushing away the fear that she might... 'Enjoy today,' she mentally reminded herself.

"Yeah, that'll be great if we can do that," Zane added. "I'll be going back to the Pros full time after you guys get back to school. I'm feeling like I can really duel again."

"That's great, Zane!" Syrus then realized something. "Hey...this'll be our last year. Didn't everyone say they're waiting until after they're out of school to get married?" he began.

Annie blushed. "Yeah...wow...I wonder if..." She trailed off, thinking.

"Everyone's going to have their weddings around the same time...wow..." He blushed a little. "Annie, we never did decide when we'd want to...uh..."

"Well, we have to coordinate that...unless we wanted to have a quadruple wedding, we'll have to figure out dates and everything so we can all be at each other's weddings. Jaden'll probably want you to be his best man, Sy..."

Syrus smiled at the thought. "Yeah...wouldn't it be great if we did have a quadruple wedding?" he asked.

"Yeah...oh, gosh..." Annie suddenly had a dazed look on her face. "How do we coordinate colors? And cakes and guest lists?"

"It would be a lot of work. We can ask the guys if they want to try doing it when we see them all again." Syrus replied, sweat-dropping.

"I'm back with the sodas," stated Alex, walking into the room.

"Thanks, Dad...Oh, crud...and then there are dresses," Annie groaned.

"Dresses? What have you kids been talking about??" he asked curiously.

"Uh, well, we were thinking we could combine the four weddings after school's over into one big one," Syrus explained.

"And Annie's thinking what a crazy chaotic mess it could be," Zane added.

"Uh, Zane, Sy? Do we have any potential bridezillas in our group?" Annie asked.

"What?" Zane asked.

Alex and Syrus held the same sort of confused looks on their faces. "What do you mean, Annie?" asked Syrus.

"Uh...they're the women that go nuts on wedding planning and have to have everything perfect and...expensive," Annie blushed.

"Oh." Syrus thought for a few moments. "I don't think so...I mean, Alexis might be a little. I thought you meant they get mad if something goes wrong at the wedding. In that case, it might be Rosa..."

"It's in the planning stages that women turn bridezilla…" Annie looked nervous.

"Don't worry. We have plenty of time to think about that stuff later. Why don't we eat and watch the movie?" offered Syrus, noticing her nervousness.

"Sounds good to me. Don't want the pizza getting cold," added Alex.

"Okay!" Annie said.

Zane got the movie into the player and soon they were laughing. "I could so see someone pulling a prank at Kaibaland like that," Zane said when the "Welcome to Duloc" song played.

"Can you imagine the look on Seto's face if that happened?" asked Syrus, laughing.

"Depending on who it was...he might take it well...we found out what he was like, didn't we?" Annie answered, remembering.

"Yeah. You're right," he replied, smiling.

They kept watching and laughed when Donkey was being chased by Dragon. "How did they get married?" Annie wondered.

"How did they have kids?" Syrus dared to ask.

Annie started to laugh. "Probably better not to think about it!"

"Yeah...good point," he replied, sweat-dropping.

They watched to the very end and then watched the Karaoke Dance Party. "Oh, I love this part!" Annie said.

"It's pretty funny," Zane added. "I've never heard 'Like a Virgin' quite like that..."

"You should see the version in 'Moulin Rouge,'" the girl countered.

"Yeah, it was great. There was dancing and two guys were singing it," explained Syrus, smiling.

"It's hilarious!" Annie squealed.

Syrus couldn't help but laugh a little at the memory of the scene. "Annie and I couldn't stop laughing."

"Do I even ask?" Zane wondered.

"Yeah...if you want to watch something purely insane, that's perfect!" Annie said.

"I probably won't watch that, then," Zane commented seriously.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Aw, come on, Zane! We could bring the movie and watch it here."

Zane sighed. "Okay...okay...has Jaden seen it?"

"Hm…I don't know, actually," Syrus replied, frowning.

Annie thought a minute. "Oh, he did! Alexis made him..."

"She...did?" Sy asked, eyes wide.

"Yup," Annie answered. "She told me about it...And Jaden..." She started snickering.

"What?" Zane asked.

"He tried singing 'Lady Marmalade!'" she squealed.

"He did?!" Syrus asked, jaw dropping.

"Yes! And she said he sang pretty well...while dancing around," Annie giggled.

"Oh, tell me she took pictures," Zane said with a slight grin.

"She might've," the girl smiled mysteriously.

"Oh, man. If she did, that's pretty good blackmail," stated Syrus, laughing.

"Not that she'd ever use it," Annie pointed out, smiling. "It loses its effect when you think about how it must've looked live."

"Now when did this happen?" Zane asked.

"A week after the group movie night..."

"No way. Where??" Sy asked in awe.

"Apparently, Chazz let them use his entertainment center..."

"Wow...I'm surprised he did."

"Yeah...so was I..." Zane's brows raised as well.

"Yeah...Chazz wouldn't have done that...at least not the old Chazz," Annie observed.

"He's a lot nicer now. I'm glad he changed like he did," Sy smiled.

"Me, too," Annie agreed and yawned. "Oh, excuse me..."

"What time is it?" asked Syrus.

Zane looked at the clock. "It's eight. And it's a beautiful night out..." He looked out of Annie's room window and saw Bellevue and the sun glinting off a tall building and the freeway between Bellevue Children's and the adult hospital complex, as well as a lot of trees.

"Wow...Annie, look at the view!" Sy grinned.

Annie looked to where Sy was looking and smiled. "Yeah...it's nice. Even when we can't see the lake or the mountains, the city's nice. Mom said that when her parents moved here forty years ago, most of the area was real forest..."

"Really?" Zane asked curiously.

"Yeah," she answered.

"Sounds nice...but this is nice, too," replied Syrus. He wrapped his arms around Annie, hugging her happily.

Annie relaxed and closed her eyes. She was starting to drift off, listening to Syrus's heartbeat. "Sy," Zane whispered after a couple of minutes.

"Hm?" he mumbled, also falling asleep.

"She's falling asleep...and so are you..."

"Hm," Syrus mumbled again, eyes closed. He didn't see where Zane was going with this.

"Sy...I don't know if you can stay there like you did in Domino," Zane explained, not sure that Sy could sleep in the same bed with Annie.

At this, Sy opened his eyes, though only halfway, and glanced at Zane. "How about I go ask the nurse if it's all right?" asked Alex, standing.

"Yes, please, Alex," Zane answered. "That'd be great."

"All right." The father left the room, managing to catch the nurse as she was walking down the hall. "Excuse me..."

"Yes?" the nurse, a young woman with hair about the shade of the sunset, asked. "May I help you?"

"I'm Alex Hanson, Annie Hanson's father. I was wondering if it would be all right for her fiancé to sleep in the bed with her. I'm sure it would make her feel much more calm and comfortable..."

The nurse thought a moment. "All right. Normally, we wouldn't allow it, but we do make exceptions. And Dr. Benson at Domino Children's filled us in on how Annie was treated and that the young man never left her side. We'll let it be."

"Thank you, miss...?"

"Call me Emma. Your daughter's a sweet girl, Mr. Hanson. I heard her in there when she woke up earlier. And her fiancé and his brother are very nice boys."

"Thank you, Emma. We appreciate it very much." Alex smiled and re-entered the room, ready to tell them. "All right, she said it's okay," he stated. However, Annie and Syrus were already fast asleep in each other's arms.

Zane had found an extra blanket and covered his brother with it. "Alex, I'll stay tonight. You can go and be with Kathy and Bobby, or you could come back later tonight. I'm fine either way..."

"Thanks, Zane. I think I'll head home. Watch over them for us, all right?" he asked, opening the door again.

"I will, Alex. Thanks," Zane said. "I'll call you if something happens..."

"Okay. Try to get some rest yourself, too." With that, Alex left, leaving the three teens alone. Zane settled in, and watched over his little brother and the young woman Sy loved like a sentinel.

_So Annie seems to be feeling a bit better, as does Violet, who is under the influence of pain medication. Things are looking a bit better for the Seattle group and for the group in Ohio. But what of our Domino group? Next time, "WHAT NOW?" Please read and review and tune in next time! Thank you!_


	81. WHAT NOW?

Chapter LXXXI: WHAT NOW?

_Hello again, GX believers! And welcome back to "Summer Love, Summer Fears!" Thanks again, as always, for reading and reviewing. Our tale isn't quite finished, but it is drawing ever closer to the end. So sit back and enjoy the countdown to the end of this tale and do keep reading and reviewing._

_So last time, Zane and Sy had more brotherly bonding and enjoyed some time with Bobby Hanson, Annie's big brother. And then when Annie was feeling sad, her dad brought pizza from her favorite shop and she and the boys watched Shrek together. So now…we return to Domino and the gang there. What will happen now? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. Trust us. You know what we own…**_

_**Warning: Embarrassing situation for Jaden and an argument between him and Chazz that might seem a bit OOC. But given the stress level, we feel it is understandable. Further, again, there is some yaoi bashing, but it's all in good fun and consistent with what was established in "The Genius and the Panty Raid." Thank you.**_

At the same time Zane took his position for the evening in Bellevue Children's Hospital, the Rhodes and Yuki families enjoyed dinner at the Yuki home. Alexis hadn't been feeling well for most of the day and dismissed it as a combination of indigestion from the day before and exhaustion. But at 2 early the next morning, in Jaden's bedroom, something became terribly wrong.

Alexis had been drifting in and out of sleep all night, lying on her stomach to fight off some bad pain. At first, she wrote it off as cramps or something, but now the pain hit its peak as she clutched her stomach. "Ah...Jaden," she groaned, wincing.

"Lex?" Jaden asked, waking up almost fully. "What's wrong?" And then he felt her forehead. "You're burning up..."

"I am? Agh...these pains are getting worse....and nothing's helping," Alexis explained, biting her lower lip.

"Pain? Where?"

"My stomach!" she half-whispered, half-yelled. Alexis didn't mean to snap, but the pain was driving her crazy.

"I'm going to get our moms," Jaden said worriedly. He ran down the hall to his parents' bedroom and knocked on the door. "Mom? Mom, wake up!"

Jayda, used to emergency calls in the middle of the night, got out of bed and headed to the door. "Jaden, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"It's Alexis...her stomach's really hurting and she feels like she's got a fever."

Hisoka wasn't nearly as used to it, and sat-up groggily. "Jaden? Jayda? Is something wrong??" he asked through a yawn.

"Honey, just be ready...Something's going on with Alexis..."

By now, Scout and Jack were awake in the guestroom and Scout moved down the hall to the Yukis. "Jayda? Jaden?"

"Scout, something's wrong with Alexis," Jaden yelped.

"Okay...I'm coming..."

Hisoka shook himself awake and climbed out of bed, walking over to the three. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked. Jack, in the guest room, was also rousing himself from the throes of sleep.

"Dad...Alexis woke up and she's hurting really bad," Jaden explained as they headed back down the hall.

"I see. Should I go wake the boys?" he asked worriedly.

Jack, by now, had caught up to them. "What's going on? Is something wrong with Alexis??"

"Yes honey, go get them," Jayda answered quickly.

Jaden, meanwhile, had raced back into the room where Alexis was trembling in pain. "Lex? Lex, we're here..."

"Sweetie, tell me where it hurts," Scout asked her daughter, beginning to probe the girl's belly.

Alexis whimpered as Scout prodded by her belly button, and again when she touched her lower right side. "All around it hurts....my back and sides now, too," she moaned.

Meanwhile, Hisoka had gone downstairs and now shook both boys. "Atticus, Chazz, wake up!"

Chazz, already partially awake, hearing the commotion, was up like a shot from the futon bed. "Hisoka? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is that something's wrong with Alexis," he replied.

Atticus had at first ignored Hisoka, but now sat up instantly as well. "Lexi's in trouble?!"

"Bro, c'mon!" Chazz yelled, heading for the stairs.

Meanwhile, Jaden was holding his fiancée's hand. Alexis, the normally unflappable tomboy who almost never cried, had tears running down her face. "Lex, I'm here..."

"Alexis, we need to get you to the hospital...I think you have appendicitis," Scout murmured, her professionalism fighting with her maternal instincts.

Jaden's eyes widened. "What?"

"It'll be okay, Jaden," Jayda soothed.

Atticus followed his brother up the stairs and into the room, eyes wide with worry. "Mom, Dad, what's going on?!" he asked. Alexis was squeezing Jaden's hand so hard that the circulation was being cut off.

"Scout, should I carry her to the car?" asked Jack.

Scout nodded. "I'm going to call ahead...Dr. Eng is on..."

"Dr. Eng? You can't do the surgery, Mom?" Chazz asked.

"I can't, Chazz...I can't work on a family member except in an extreme emergency when no other doctors are available."

Jack lifted his daughter into his arms, which led to her giving a gasp of pain. "Sorry, honey," he said, heading out of the room. Hisoka saw Jack heading down the stairs, and quickly went outside to start the cars.

"Mom, is Alexis gonna be okay??" asked Atticus fearfully.

"Yeah, honey...they just have to take the appendix out. It's very routine..."

Jaden kept holding his fiancée's hand despite the lack of circulation in his own hand. "Lex, I'm with you," he said softly.

Everyone split up into the cars. Jaden, Alexis, Jayda, and Scout rode in one while Hisoka, Jack, Atticus, and Chazz rode in the other. Chazz looked at his brother quietly. "Atticus?"

Atticus was obviously very worried, one of the few times anyone had seen him looking such a way. "Y-Yeah, Chazz??"

"What's happening? This is just insane..."

"I don't know," he muttered, fists clenched tightly. There's no way all of these things could be coincidentally happening at once. There had to be some reason all of this was happening, Atticus figured.

"This is just...it's worse than school...we don't have anybody or anything to blame." Chazz was right. For once, they didn't know who the enemy was that would be causing all this. There couldn't be an enemy who could do all of this, anyway. There was no one to blame, no one to fight to stop it from happening. "No people trying to take over the world and take our minds...no psycho guy trying to tempt me with power...or get Jaden to turn emo..."

"We can't do anything to stop more stuff from happening," added Atticus, voice shaking.

Chazz sighed. "Suddenly...I'm wishing this was a psycho bad guy thing...we could duel them...What the heck am I saying?!" he asked, stunned he was actually wishing for that.

"I don't know what to do...I want to help, but...what can I do?"

"I don't know...all we can do is pray and hope the Man Upstairs says yes to what we ask Him for..."

Luckily, by this time both cars had reached the hospital, and Jack quickly got out to help carry Alexis inside. "How's she doing??" he asked as he got to the other car.

"She has to go in to be checked now," Scout said, obviously worried. Jaden was silent and still letting Alexis grip his hand.

"Sir, set her on this gurney," a male nurse with close-cropped brown-blonde hair and hazel eyes said. "Dr. Rhodes?" he asked, recognizing her.

"Alex, this is my daughter. Is Dr. Eng on?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Tell her to get an OR ready. I think my daughter has advanced appendicitis."

"Who's this kid?" he asked, gesturing to Jaden.

"I'm her fiancé," Jaden answered.

"Jaden, son, I think you're going to have to have her let go of your hand. You can't go into surgery with her," stated Hisoka, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We need to run a couple of tests to be sure it's her appendix," the nurse said as another doctor came up.

It was a plump Asian woman with short black hair and snappy black eyes. "It's okay...he can stay through the testing. I'm Doctor Eng. Let me check. Hello, Alexis," she said gently. Alexis was only able to give a nod in response, free arm wrapped tightly around her stomach in an effort to stop the pain. "It's going to be all right. And you are...?" she asked Jaden.

"I'm Jaden, and I'm her fiancé. Please let me stay with her..."

"Scout?"

"It's fine with me, Karen...please help my baby."

Eng nodded. "Okay, Jaden, this might get a little embarrassing..."

"It's okay...she's thrown up on me, and had other things," the teen boy answered, remembering how Alexis had gotten grumpy during a certain time of the month.

Eng nodded and took them into an exam room. She got Alexis's pajamas off and a loose-fitting hospital gown on the girl. "I'm going to have to check to make sure there isn't something else going on. You two haven't been intimate, have you?" she asked the kids.

Jaden shook his head. "We're waiting."

"Okay, just checking." Alexis whimpered as a fresh burst of pain encircled her abdomen, eyes closed tightly.

"Doc, hurry! She's in pain!" Jaden pleaded.

"It's all right; this'll only take a few minutes. Alexis, I have to give you a pelvic exam, okay?"

"A what?" Jaden asked in shock, not ignorance. He knew what it was, but didn't know it was part of this! Alexis, meanwhile, was wondering much the same thing, not that the pain let her think on the subject much.

"Alexis, have you ever had a pelvic exam before?" Dr. Eng asked. "I have to check because since you're older than 12, in this state you don't have to tell your parents about it."

"N-No," Alexis barely managed to stutter out.

"Jaden, you might want to step outside of the room while I check," Eng said, getting Alexis into a funny chair with what looked like stirrups sticking out of it.

"I'm not leaving her..." Alexis glanced over at Jaden, guessing he'd go into surgery with her if he could. If it came to that, which it probably would.

"Okay, but this might be a little embarrassing...I have to check your private areas, all right?" Dr. Eng asked. Jaden, a bit nervous now, swallowed.

"Do you want me to stay in here, Lex?"Alexis nodded weakly, blushing a little. She wanted somebody to be with her.

"Okay, then...Jaden, just hold her hand. Alexis, this won't feel fun, especially since it's your first exam..."

The exam took about ten minutes and Jaden kept his eyes averted so he wouldn't see anything. 'Look at the wall, Jay, look at the wall!' he commanded himself, not wanting to look, especially since this was probably pretty embarrassing for his fiancée.

"All right...Alexis, we need to prep you for surgery...Jaden, you can follow the gurney as far as the elevator, okay?"

Jaden nodded tightly. "Lex..." She turned to look at him, eyes filled with pain. "I can't go in with you," he said, frustrated. "Doc, can I kiss her goodbye?"

"Sure," Dr. Eng said and stepped away.

"You'll be okay," he whispered, kissing her hot forehead. Alexis understood, and moved up to give him a weak kiss on the lips. He kissed Alexis back. "I love you..."

"I l-love...you, too..."

"I'll be there when you wake up, okay?" he promised. She nodded weakly, wincing as another flash of pain went through her.

"Okay...Jaden, you have to let go now," Dr. Eng said as they reached a huge elevator.

"Lex," he murmured as he let go. Alexis glanced back at him one last time with a painful understanding, before they disappeared behind the elevator doors. Jaden trudged back to the waiting room where his parents and Alexis's family was waiting. He sank tiredly into Hisoka and Jayda's arms.

"Don't worry, son. I'm sure she'll be all right," Hisoka whispered soothingly, hugging Jaden.

"I couldn't go with her..."

"She'll understand...you would have gone if you could..."

"Did you ever have to leave Mom?"

Hisoka sighed. "Yes, Jaden...and it was just as tough for me leave her as it is for you to leave Alexis..."

"But..."

"Sweetie, I had what Alexis has," Jayda soothed. "I got appendicitis my second year in med school. Daddy didn't want to leave me either, but he had to...and left when I had to have a special exam."

"Oh, you mean the pelvic exam?"

Hisoka blinked, shocked that one, his son actually knew what that was and two, that he actually stayed in the room. "Jaden, did you stay with her during that?"

"Yeah, she wanted me to..."

Chazz looked up from having his head in his hands, eyes flashing with brotherly indignation. "What. Did. You. Say. Slacker?"

"She'd never had a pelvic exam and she was scared, Chazz."

Atticus placed a weak hand on Chazz's shoulder. "Don't worry...I'm sure he didn't try to look or anything..."

"You'd better not have, slacker..."

Jaden's nerves were shot and so he might be forgiven for snapping back at his future brother-in-law, "Who are you calling a slacker, Slacker? Because you're one, too!"

"AM NOT! And you'd better not have looked!" Chazz snapped back.

"I looked at the wall!" Jaden yelped angrily, and the two looked like they were about to possibly fight. However, that did not occur.

"Guys, stop," Atticus interrupted. His voice held a stern fierceness neither of them had ever heard before.

"Eeep," the two combatants said, eyes wide.

"Sorry, Atticus."

"Yeah, sorry, bro."

He sighed. "Alexis wouldn't want you two fighting..." The two looked at each other and nodded. Chazz sat between his mom and dad, while Jaden did the same. Atticus alternated between sitting between the adults and pacing.

After 10 minutes of this, Jack sighed and stood, walking over to a currently-pacing Atticus. "Atticus, son, please stop worrying. I'm sure she'll be all right," he stated reassuringly. Atticus stopped and sighed, frowning sadly.

Scout got up, too. "Sweetie, you're not going to help Alexis like this...You need to relax..."

Chazz got up and hugged his big brother. "Mom's right..."

"But..."

"Atticus, no buts. Trust me, she'll be fine. Now sit down and relax," Jack interrupted, guiding Atticus to his chair. The distressed older brother sat down, knowing that arguing was pointless. The Rhodes parents repositioned themselves so they could sit with their arms around both their boys.

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It was a couple of hours before someone came down to the waiting room to let the families know Alexis would be fine. "Would anyone like to go to the recovery room and be with her?" the male nurse asked. Jaden looked at the families, silently asking what they wanted.

"Go ahead, Jaden. She'd want to see you first," stated Atticus, smiling a little. Hisoka and Jack nodded in agreement.

"Go on, sweetheart," Jayda said.

"Yeah, Jaden, it's all right, you go," Scout added. The boy nodded and followed the nurse to recovery.

"You really love her, don't you, kid," Nurse Alex asked with a soft smile.

"Yeah…I'm going to marry her next year, probably," Jaden answered. "I know we're really young, but…she's great."

Alex smiled a bit more widely. "You're sure…that's great." And then they approached the double doors of the recovery room and went in where Alexis was lying in a bed, pale and hooked up to an IV and a heart monitor but all right.

Alexis stirred a little in the recovery room bed, groaning as she opened her eyes a crack. She tried remembering where she was, when everything came back to her. "Jaden..."

He appeared above her in her field of vision. "Hey, babe..." He looked ragged but happy, smiling down at her.

She instantly brightened, smiling up at him, albeit weakly. "Jaden...thank you..."

"I told you I'd be here when you woke up...How are you feeling?" he asked, smiling in a relieved way.

"Tired...weak...but no pain..."

"I'll just sit here with you, all right? And we can talk about whatever you want or not talk at all," he said, kissing her forehead which felt cooler now.

Alexis reached to take his hand, glad that he was there with her. "Jaden...everyone didn't worry about me too much...did they?"

Jaden thought for a second. "They're okay...Atticus and Chazz were being their typical selves..."

"They didn't get mad that you saw me...earlier, did they?" she asked, referring to the pelvic exam.

"Uh...Chazz did...he's your brother though...I told what I did...I really looked at the wall," he answered, blushing.

Alexis sighed. "Oh well. He'll have to get used to it..."

"Yeah...it's better than how it was our first year, though..."

"I thought he'd take it a lot worse when we started dating..."

"Nah...he told me pretty much I think everyone else was thinking..."

"And what was that?"

"His exact words were, 'It's about time, Slacker...'"

"Wow...did everyone really think we should get together that much?"

"Apparently they did...most of them," Jaden answered, and then made a face like he'd had some nasty-tasting medicine.

"What's wrong?"

"There was one girl who was really surprised...She said I should've...gotten with Sy," he explained with a major grimace. The idea was repugnant to him, as Sy was like his surrogate brother.

"WHAT?! Who???"

"Uh...her name was Mary Sue Fofesca."

"Oh, that explains it. Mary...she's not exactly normal..."

"No...she thought she could score with me..." Jaden looked even more repulsed all of a sudden. "And she thought she was the perfect duelist..."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Not to mention she had the nerve to claim that she was somehow related to Yugi Muto..."

"And we know that isn't true..." Jaden started to snicker.

"What?" she asked curiously.

"Didn't she also claim she had a Millennium Item?"

"Oh yeah. It was obvious that necklace was a fake, not even real gold."

"Yeah...Hey, speaking of jewelry...when you're better, we need to get you a ring or something..."

"Oh yeah, you're right. Well, we do have all summer..."

"Yeah...just in case something else happens and God forbid we have to fly to Spain," Jaden groaned. "I just want to be sure you have it..."

Alexis groaned. "Who knows....actually, I just realized. Rosa's the only one who hasn't really had anything happen."

"Don't jinx it, Lex...okay?" he said.

"All right..."

Jaden sat with Alexis for another hour and then she was moved to a private room. "We're going to be invaded any minute, you know," Jaden pointed out, holding his fiancée's slim hand.

As if on cue, the door opened and Alexis was practically glomped by her elder brother, Atticus. "Lexi! You're okay!!" he cheered happily.

"Atticus Lee Rhodes, take it easy on your sister! She's just had surgery!" Scout growled, a combination of tiredness and worry making her into who her family affectionately called "The Drill Sergeant."

Atticus "eep'd", and quickly let go of his sister, getting into a straight-backed military position. "Yes, Mom," he replied.

Alexis sighed. "Mom, it's okay...really..."

"I just...oh, honey, we were worried for a bit there..."

Chazz came up to the bed a great deal more sedately. "Hey, Alexis..." He gave her a far gentler hug, almost as if he were afraid she would break. "You feeling all right, sis?"

"A little tired and weak, but at least there's no more pain," she replied, smiling.

"We're just so glad you're okay, honey," stated Jack happily.

Jayda and Hisoka Yuki came into the room as well. "Hey, you two...Glad you're feeling a bit better, Alexis...Jay-Jay, you all right?"

Jaden nodded tiredly at his mother. "Yeah, Mom..."

"You were very brave, son. All of you have been." Hisoka stated, placing a hand on Jaden's shoulder and referring to the four teens. Jaden smiled tiredly.

"Thanks, Hisoka," Chazz said. "We're brave together..."

"Mom, how long will Lexi have to stay in the hospital?" asked Atticus.

"Two days and then she can come home, but she'll have to rest for a bit after that...in other words, boys...no roughhousing with her..."

"Got it, Mom," Chazz said.

"No problem," Jaden added.

"Right!" added Atticus, grinning.

Alexis yawned then, not exactly having gotten a lot of sleep before two in the morning. "Hey, what time is it?" she asked.

"It's six thirty in the morning, sweetie," Scout said.

"That explains why I'm so tired...I think I only got an hour or two of sleep," Alexis mumbled, yawning again.

"Yeah...we shouldn't have stayed up playing video games," Jaden groaned.

"You what?" Chazz yelped.

Alexis sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Well, uh, after you guys fell asleep we played some video games...until one," she explained, blushing a little.

Atticus pouted. "And you guys didn't invite us? That's not fair..."

Jaden yawned, and his eyes were starting to close. "Sorry..."

"You two go ahead and get some sleep...especially you, honey," stated Jack. Alexis was already dozing off, barely hearing her father's words.

Jaden, too, was dozing off. Jayda grabbed a cot while Scout held onto her future son-in-law's shoulders. "I'm okay," Jaden mumbled as Scout held him up.

"Just rest, sweetie," the pediatric surgeon said gently.

Jayda laid the cot next to Jaden's chair and helped Scout lay him on the bed. "Just sleep, Jay-Jay..." His eyes were closed now and he was so tired, he didn't even dream about dueling.

"Sweet dreams, slacker," Chazz whispered as his mom covered the other boy with a blanket. And the King of Slifer and the Queen of Obelisk rested for a long time.

_So Alexis is going to be fine, everyone. She just doesn't have an appendix. Considering what's happened to Annie and Violet this summer, the Obelisk Queen got off easy. Next time: "Why Did It Have to be Snakes?" See you soon! Thanks in advance for reading and reviewing!_


	82. Why Did It Have to be Snakes?

Chapter LXXXII: Why Did It Have to be Snakes?

_Hi, again, everybody! We're back and we're glad you're here again. Peach is posting this chapter a little bit early today, so we both hope you don't mind. Thanks to the people who reviewed this chapter and thanks to everyone who's been reading. If you want to review but aren't sure what to say in your review, just say what you're feeling. We're always glad to hear from you! And in case you're wondering, this title was taken from the words of the immortal Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Indy is afraid of snakes…very afraid of snakes. Onto the chapter!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or the established characters. We just own our OCs, this version of the Yugi-verse and our interpretations. Thank you!**_

_**Warning: Some blood and injury in this chapter. Brief nudity, but in the context of nursing care. Thank you for your attention.**_

As Jaden and Alexis dozed off at Domino Children's Hospital on July 6th, halfway across the nation, Bastion Misawa and Violet Haverbrook were waking up. Bastion looked quite a bit better than the day Violet had been hurt as his bruises were diminishing. Mike and his gang had been arrested too, so this made Bastion much happier. Now, he sat on his cot next to Violet's bet, waiting for her to wake.

Violet had been talking in her sleep like she usually did, this time rambling about cat names and species for some unknown reason. Now she quieted, before letting out a yawn and opening her eyes a little. She brought up her usable hand to rub the sleep from them, her breathing slightly ragged from the chest tube.

"Good morning, love," Bastion said, giving her a very careful kiss on the cheek.

Even so Violet winced a little, the bruise still visible. "Morning, Bastion-baby!" she replied, smiling. However, for a few moments her smile was interrupted by some coughing, before quickly returning. "Hey...I can't remember much from last night...did I talk to Annie?"

"Yes, you did...and you were rather entertaining, Violet," Bastion smiled.

Violet blinked in surprise and slight confusion. "I...was?" she asked.

"It was the influence of the medication you're on...You told Annie you thought you'd received an artificial heart and that you were a cyborg..."

She sweat-dropped, that part of the conversation returning to her memory. "Oh, yeah...I was really out of it, huh?"

"Yes, you were...I told Annie and Sy what exactly occurred so they knew you were most definitely not a cyborg," Bastion answered.

"Yeah...but I still got this big piece of metal in my wrist," Violet replied, glancing at her cast. She was able to lift it about five inches off the bed before it plopped back down onto the mattress. "How much longer do I have to stay here again?"

"About a week, just to be safe...Domino Children's sent your records and with your past injury, the doctors here will make certain you're recovered before you go home...Oh...Officer Edwards came after you were asleep..."

She groaned, hating that she'd have to be bored for a week again. However, his second statement perked her curiosity. "She did? Why??"

"Mike and his gang have been arrested. They confessed to harming you and will take a plea deal that will see them in prison until four years after we graduate. And apparently...the judge may make them work at a shelter for battered women as part of their punishment."

Violet sighed, then smiled again. "I'm so glad to hear that, Bastion." She placed a hand on his still slightly-bruised cheek gently. "And I'm also glad to see that you're healing..."

"Thank you, darling...are you hungry at all?"

Her stomach answered by letting out a loud growl, causing her to a blush. "I think that's a yes."

"All right then..." A nurse came in with two breakfast trays, and soon Bastion was feeding his fiancée some shredded hash browns. "Here comes the Oxygeddon," he said, holding out the fork. Violet raised an eyebrow, then smirked and bit down on the fork. She promptly pulled it out of Bastion's hand, grinning mischievously. "I had that coming, didn't I?" Bastion asked, laughing.

Violet pulled out the fork with her good hand and swallowed the hash browns. "Yes. Yes you did. I prefer Hydrogeddons over Oxygeddons, thank you very much," she joked slyly.

"Violet, my love...should I get sick, you may use whatever means necessary to make sure my spirits remain good and that I eat...My attempts seem...rather weak..." Bastion flushed slightly at this.

Violet giggled, leaning forward so that their noses were nearly touching. "I like your attempts just fine," she whispered, kissing him.

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In due time, Jaden called his friends and let them know that Alexis was now in the number of hospitalized friends. In Spain, Tyson Hassleberry reflected that perhaps he had better keep his guard up. He knew that bad things tend to happen in threes and hoped that Rosa would be spared some bad happening. However on July 8th, the protection that his fiancée had seemingly been afforded was broken.

After breakfast, the boys had gone outside to spar, train, or just fool around. The fooling around was mostly done by the twins, who were in the midst of trying to show-off to their American in-law. Sunning itself on a rock was a long, brown snake. Jacobo and Jesus were positioned on either side of it, while Tyson watched from a safe distance. "It takes a man to catch a snake," began Jacobo.

"And a man who's a little bit crazy," concluded Jesus.

"Fellas, are you sure this is a good idea? Mama says you stay away from snakes...And in Texas, if you don't, you're dead," Tyson said.

"Ah, do not worry, Tyson. It's just a harmless garden snake," Jacobo replied with a reassuring grin.

Rosa had been inside helping her mother clean up after breakfast, and now walked out onto the scene. "Jesus...Jacobo," she growled.

"Sis, don't worry," Jesus began.

"We'll be fine!" concluded Jacobo. Rosa rolled her eyes, standing a bit closer to the action than Tyson. "On the count of three, bro," Jacobo began, readying himself.

"Darlin', I'd move," Tyson murmured, getting a bad feeling about this.

Rosa glanced at him, then shrugged and took a step back. "One…two…three…GO!" yelled Jacobo. At once, both boys lunged at the snake. Jacobo grasped the tail while Jesus held the head firmly.

Tyson yelped, "Rosa move back!" He knew the look in the snake's eyes somehow. It had the look that indicated open anger and that it would strike whatever it could.

"Bro, don't worry..." Jesus began.

"We have him securely!" concluded Jacobo proudly. Rosa was glancing from Tyson to the snake, which had a strange, defensive glint in its eye when it looked at Tyson. She was about to move when the snake jerked, causing Jacobo to lose his grip. Fearing the snake might bite one of her brothers, Rosa ran over and shoved both boys out of the way.

And then it seemed like everything happened in slow motion. Tyson moved but wasn't quick enough to shove his fiancée. The snake struck, sinking its fangs into Rosa's right arm. "ROSA!!!" the boys yelled. At first, Rosa was too shocked to feel the pain, blood running down her arm as the snake slithered off. Then, it blasted through her like a bolt of lightning with such intensity she was sent to her knees. Rosa's scream ripped through the air, causing all three boys to kneel beside her worriedly.

Tyson eased her to the ground. "Easy, darlin', just breathe... You two go get help! NOW!" he barked at the Jimenez twins. "That's an order!" He pulled off his bandana and wrapped it around her bloody arm.

Both ran into the house to get whomever they could. Their father had gone into town with his bull-fighting sons, leaving only Josephina and Horatio inside the house. "Mama! Horatio!!" yelled Jacobo. Meanwhile, outside, Rosa barely registered her fiancé's words. The pain was unbearable, even compared to the time she'd broken her leg.

"Rosa...Spanish Rose, stick with me, okay?" Tyson said, scared but in a firm voice. He took her left hand in his right. "Squeeze my hand..."

Rosa was barely able to command her hand to give a light squeeze, the intense pain spreading up and down her arm. The bitten area was starting to go numb, however. Then, Josephina came running outside with Horatio. "Tyson, what happened?!" she asked worriedly.

"Mama, it was our fault. We wanted to..." began Jesus.

"Show off," finished Jacobo, ashamed.

Josephina would have scolded them for such foolish behavior, but was currently busy trying to comfort her daughter. "I called the doctor...he should be here soon. Horatio, call the coliseum and tell your brothers and father," she ordered.

"Yes, Mama..." Horatio said, already running.

Tyson, meanwhile was keeping Rosa in his arms. "Rosa, darlin', talk to me...stay with me..." He knew instinctively that keeping her conscious was probably a good idea.

Rosa had lost most feeling in her arm now, though she still felt terrible pain which had spread throughout her body. "C-Can't…see...can't…f-feel," she mumbled, vision blurring.

Tears were brimming Josephina's eyes at the current state of her daughter, as she brushed back a few stray bangs. "Shh, shh...it will be all right, little one...."

Tyson also tried soothing her. "Rosa darlin', I'm right here...it's going to be okay...the doctor's comin'...I know it hurts...Guys, what kind of a snake was that?" he demanded of the twins.

Jesus and Jacobo shared a glance. "It was..."

"An asp viper..." Both looked extremely guilty now. Josephina turned to glare at her two sons shamefully, both parents having told them as children to never mess with the brown and black snakes. Rosa coughed a little, vision reduced to blurry shapes. She could no longer feel or move her arm, and the pain had lessened to a dull throb in her body. Luckily, everyone could see a truck driving down the road towards the house, a red cross painted on the door.

"Oh...here comes help!" Tyson said. "Rosa, the doctor's here..."

Meanwhile, Horatio came out of the house and met the medical personnel. "My sister is up in the field!" he shouted, running toward the people.

The doctor, a tall man with clipped black hair, a mustache and brown eyes, and a nurse, a slightly short woman with brown hair in a bun and green eyes, quickly came running to the field. Rosa was laid flat on the ground as the nurse removed the bandana. "What was the snake?" asked the doctor.

"It was an asp viper...aren't those dangerous?" Tyson asked, not wanting to let go of Rosa's hand.

The nurse instantly pulled out a specific bottle of anti-venom and a syringe as the doctor explained. "Yes. Death is possible if not treated quickly. Symptoms are paralysis of bitten limb, intense pain throughout the body and blurred vision..."

"Hang in there, sis," the boys said.

Tyson gripped Rosa's hand, knowing firsthand that anti-venom treatments were painful, too. "Rosa, this is going to hurt," he said, wishing desperately that he could take the pain himself.

The doctor used a cotton swab to rub a spot on Rosa's arm, then injected the anti-venom into her vein. Her eyes snapped open a few short moments later, the intense pain returning full-force. While the doctor had been administering the anti-venom, the nurse was wrapping the snake bite with gauze to stop the bleeding.

"Rosa...darlin'," Tyson said softly.

"Rosa," the other boys added. She squeezed Tyson's hand so hard that one may have heard some popping noises from the bones. The anti-venom seared through her bloodstream like fire, much like the venom had moments ago. Josephina tried to calm her daughter as she writhed and twisted in pain.

Tyson bore the pain stoically. "Hang in there, darlin'...I love you so much..."

Finally, Rosa began to regain the feeling in her arm as the pain started to subside. Her vision was also returning, currently at the point where she could see more defined shapes. By now, the three remaining Jimenezes were roaring across the field in their truck towards the small group. Juan didn't wait for his father to stop the truck and jumped out of the bed. "Mama! Rosa, Tyson!!" he called, running over.

Tyson yelled, "Over here!"

After a few more moments, Jose, Bruno, and Juan had joined the group. The doctor stood and turned to Jose and Josephina as the nurse tied the injection point with gauze. "Pardon, you two are her parents, no?" he asked.

"Yes, we are," replied Jose. The three walked about a foot away from the group to talk as Rosa fully relaxed on the ground.

"Rosa...We are idiots," Jesus said.

"We should have been bitten, not you," added Jacobo.

Juan turned to them, towering over the twins even though he was only three inches taller. "So, you two caused this?" he asked, frowning. Meanwhile, Rosa turned her own gaze towards Tyson, fully taking in his expression for the first time. It was the first time she'd ever seen him...scared.

"Darlin'...Rosa, I thought for a minute..." Tyson's heart was pounding in his chest.

Rosa showed a weak smile, squeezing his hand a little. It took her a moment to regain full control of her tongue to reply. "Thank you...Ty-Ty," she said quietly.

Bruno, meanwhile, also glared at his younger brothers. "Did you?" he asked firmly.

"Yes," they admitted.

The eldest of the group of brothers looked about ready to pummel their younger siblings for what they did. Luckily, Jose and Josephina walked over, while the doctor and nurse made their leave. "Boys, I want to talk with you in my study...now," Jose ordered, causing both boys to wish they'd gotten pummeled by their brothers instead at his tone.

"We're dead," Jesus commented to his twin.

Tyson heard that and thought, 'You're not dead, but you're in a heap of trouble.' "Let's move you in the house, Spanish Rose, okay?" he asked his love softly.

Rosa nodded as the silently fuming father led both boys into the house. "The doctor says that she should be all right. If any signs of the symptoms return, he gave us medication for it," explained Josephina, obviously relieved.

"Okay," Tyson answered.

Horatio was relieved. "Sis, you scared me," he said, reaching out to brush her ruddy-brown bangs.

Rosa's smile increased a little at her brother's words. "Ty-Ty...could you," she began, blushing a little. She was still really weak from the intense pain caused by the venom and anti-venom, and couldn't get her legs to pull herself up.

Tyson swung her into his arms and carried her into the house easily. "Let's get you comfy, all right?" Rosa nodded again as they went to their shared room, Tyson setting her on the bed. Josephina had gone to the kitchen to get something for Rosa to drink, and the brothers decided to leave the couple alone. "Is there a set of pajamas I can get you, darlin'?" he asked. "And I'll have to check, but if you'd like a bath...maybe I can help you..."

"A bath is fine, as long as you do not get the gauze wet," Josephina answered for Rosa, setting a glass of lemonade on the bedside table. Rosa blushed at the idea, even if Tyson seeing her was completely normal by this time according to tradition.

"Okay...you want a little bath?" he asked softly as Josephina left.

Rosa's blush intensified. "Uh, yes...if you are sure," she muttered.

Tyson nodded. "Ye...wait a sec...are you nervous?" he asked, worried.

Rosa looked away, frowning slightly. "No," she lied.

"It's all right if you are...I mean...Rosa, you don't have to be tough with me, remember?" Tyson said gently. "Especially when you're feelin' like this. Here, your mama left some lemonade for you," he added, bringing the glass to her lips.

Rosa took a sip, returning her gaze to him. "I know...it's just…my first time," she mumbled, embarrassed. Sure, he'd seen her at a quick glance, but this was entirely different.

"Your first time?" he asked, meeting her gaze.

"To have someone...see me like that," Rosa finished, looking away again.

"Yeah?" Tyson probed. "I'm not surprised..." It was his turn to flush.

She gave him a glance. "What do you mean, Ty-Ty?"

"I mean...you seem like the type of girl that wouldn't parade herself around. You're confident enough not to feel the need to do that..."

The compliment made her blush again. "Oh...thank you. Uh, if you still wanted to do the bath..." Rosa muttered.

"If you want to...Rosa...I just want you to be okay to fall asleep after what you've been through, and my mama did that to keep me relaxed after...after Utah..."

Rosa knew what he meant, and nodded in understanding. "Yes...but, uh...you may have to carry me again..."

"It's all right...I don't mind," Tyson answered. "I'm going to be your husband and that means...I help you when you're feelin' good and when you're feelin' sick..."

She smiled. "And as your wife, I help you when you are well and when you are sick..."

"So it's no trouble...Do you have anything you like in the bathwater?" he asked.

Rosa nodded. "Yes. There is some bath oil in the bathroom cupboard," she replied. At the moment, Rosa was a little relieved that you poured it in the water and didn't rub it into the skin.

Tyson nodded and headed into the bathroom. He turned on the tap and let the water get nice and warm. 'Not too hot,' he reminded himself, 'or she'll get feelin' really weak.' He added in the nicely scented bath oil and went to get the woman he loved. "Okay, Spanish Rose, it's all ready..."

"Uh, could you...help me get undressed?" she asked, a little nervous.

"Of course..." He got her into the bathroom and helped her out of her clothing. As gently as any nurse, he got her into the tub and set her injured arm on the edge, wrapped in a towel so the gauze wouldn't get wet. "Just relax, okay? I'll just sit here..."

Rosa's face was a bright red, unable to force down the blush. She personally had never cared much about her appearance, so long as her clothing was bright and colorful. But now, Rosa was worried of what exactly Tyson thought of her. "O-Okay..."

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the blush.

She swallowed, pushing a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Nothing..."

"It's somethin'," Tyson countered gently. "Did I do somethin' wrong? Rosa darlin', please tell me..."

Now Rosa had to tell him, she didn't want him to feel bad when he did nothing wrong. "No, it wasn't you. I...I'm just nervous about...about what you think," she mumbled, embarrassed.

"What I think about...Oh..." It hit Tyson like Godzilla's foot stamping down on a building in Tokyo. "You're worried I don't like how you look? First...that's not the main reason anybody falls in love...Secondly, I think you're gorgeous..." he said, his tan features turning darker.

She pulled off a blush that would have made Syrus or Annie proud, staring at him. "R-Really?"

"Yeah, I do...you are the woman I love and you're beautiful for how sweet and tough you can be at the same time. I love how you think for yourself, that you don't think you're perfect and that you love me, too," Tyson said. "Rosa...Spanish Rose, even if you weren't beautiful, you'd still be beautiful to me," he finished.

Rosa couldn't stop herself from wrapping her good arm around his neck in an embrace. "Thank you...Ty-Ty," she whispered before kissing him.

He kissed back. When they broke apart and she was comfortable in the tub once more, he murmured, "Rosa, I'm glad you're you...there was a girl at Duel Academy who wouldn't leave me alone until you came..."

She blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah...you might know her...Mary Sue Contessa Louisa Francesca Bananafana Fofesca the Third..."

Rosa couldn't help but laugh a little, thinking of the girl she'd helped beat the living snot out of. "Oh, yes. Mary didn't speak wisely…she thought that she would be perfect for you."

"Yeah, and every other guy in our platoon...She thought she had the power to make us all go...kissy-face on her...and that we'd suddenly be perfect guys..."

She grimaced. "That does not sound like you at all...or any of the others."

"No, and she thought the Sarge should go out with Private Chazz," he groaned in disgust. "It'd be one thing if the Sarge liked guys, but…he don't like guys…And we all know Private Chazz likes girls."

Rosa twitched slightly at the thought. "That is simply impossible..."

"And then she told everybody she had superpowers...and that was right before she got mad and tried to summon a thunderstorm..." Tyson's expression said he was very confused.

"Right..." Rosa was more than pleased she had dealt with that crazy girl.

"Yeah...she was plumb loco..." Tyson knew precisely what would happen if Mary Sue ever ticked off Rosa. It wouldn't be pretty.

Rosa smirked. "I have met her before. Don't you remember that night?" Rosa asked.

"Sam Hill! I saw her staggerin' to the infirmary! Did...you do that, darlin'?"

"Yes. Though I had some help from Senorita Alexis and Senorita Violet," Rosa answered, grinning proudly.

Tyson grinned. "I figured. She stayed the heck away from you girls and us for a while after that..."

"We told her to. Good thing she listened."

"I'll say...I know it's never a good idea to have any of you girls mad," he answered, flushing. "You want to stay in a few more minutes, Spanish Rose?"

She blinked, remembering she happened to be in a bath. "Oh. No, that is okay. If I stay in much longer, I will get all wrinkly."

"Okay, Rosa." He grabbed a thick, fluffy bath towel and helped her out of the tub. He wrapped her in the towel and got her to the big bed. "Here, darlin', I got you your pajamas."

Rosa smiled. "Thank you, Ty-Ty. You have helped me so much," she murmured happily.

"It's all right, my Spanish Rose..." He got her into her pajamas and comfortably into bed and pulled his own shoes off. He lay down quietly beside her. "I'll just stay right here with you..." He brushed her bangs gently and watched her fall asleep.

_So Rosa's going to be okay, Violet is recovering nicely and things seem to be going better and Mike and his goons are doing a plea bargain. Next time, we're heading back to Ohio and someone else from Violet's past is making an appearance. Please read, review and stay tuned for "Triana's Tale." Thank you very much!_


	83. Triana's Tale

Chapter LXXXIII: Triana's Tale

_Hi, everybody! Well, thank you all again for reviewing! And we welcome our new reviewer, The Rainwalker, who has made a challenge. Peach is formulating a possible fic as we speak. If it happens, you all will know soon. Anyway, your co-authors know you're eager for the continuation of this tale. So, on we go!_

_So last time, Violet was in the hospital and Rosa got bitten by a snake. Fortunately, there was not another trip to the ER. So now we're returning to Ohio and it is just before Violet's 16__th__ birthday…_

_**Disclaimer: Uh…yeah…we don't own GX. We just this story, our OCs, and this version of the Yugi-verse, as well as our interpretations. Thanks.**_

The days went by. By July 10th, Rosa was strong enough to watch her older brothers fight and do art. Annie was released from Bellevue Children's Hospital on July 10th on the condition that she take it easy the rest of the summer. On July 13th, Alexis was released from Domino Children's and was also under orders to take it easy for a few days. Her appendix had been close to bursting and so Alexis had required a longer hospital stay than her mother thought. As for Violet, she wasn't released from Cleveland General until July 19th, nearly two weeks after being admitted, because the doctors had wanted to be ultra-cautious. "Ready to leave, darling?" Bastion asked softly.

"You bet I am! I want to get some fresh air!!" Violet replied, grinning. She looked good as new, except for the fiberglass cast on her left wrist.

"Okay, honey, just remember what the doctors told you," Alan cautioned. "You still have to take it easy..."

Violet pouted. "I know...but at least I'll be out of that bed and out of this hospital! Not to mention that tomorrow's my s-I mean, Saturday!!" She just barely stopped herself, glancing nervously at Bastion. Bobby rolled his eyes, since he'd accidentally told Bastion already.

"Violet..." Bastion swallowed. "I've...been doing some research and...I discovered something..."

"Really? What is it, Bastion-baby??" Violet asked excitedly.

"Well, you see...when I was at the Academy and we started seeing each other seriously, I started trying to find out when your birthday was. I didn't want to be the boyfriend that forgets birthdays or anniversaries, you see..." He had told a partial lie, but there was no way that he would figuratively throw his future brother-in-law under the bus.

Bobby smirked inwardly, deciding he'd lay off Bastion for a while prank wise. Violet blinked. "Oh...so then you know tomorrow's my birthday?"

"Yes, Violet, my dear...And it's also your sweet sixteen..."

Bastion swallowed. "I'd like to make it special for you, if you'll allow me..."

She thought for a few moments. "Well....I guess so. I mean, it'll be my first birthday spent with my fiancé, and it is special," Violet replied. 'And it won't take money away from the special party fund me and my parents set up,' she thought.

Alan and Barbara smiled. "Violet, Bastion's been planning this for a while now. He asked me to tell what your favorite dinner was and that he'd make it himself," Alan said.

"Bastion's a chef!" little Haylee cheered. "Sissa, he can cook!"

"Yeah, Violet-ani!" Cherri added, grinning. "Bastion-ani is good at it!"

Violet sighed, but was grinning. "I knew you people were planning something outside the hospital room! But at least it's something good!!" she stated, hugging Bastion.

Bastion smiled and a tinge of red came to his cheeks. "And I even got you a surprise, darling," he said, hugging back gently, not wanting to jar anything.

Violet pulled away to smile eagerly at him. "You did?! Now I'm even more excited! I can't wait for tomorrow!!" she replied, full of her usual energy.

Bobby sighed. "Well, we have to leave the hospital first, Violet..."

Nurse Taylor had brought in a wheelchair and helped Violet into it. "Okay, Violet, you've been very good here, and with any luck, the only reason you'll end up back here is to remove the hardware from inside your arm before you head back to Domino to go to school, all right? And you, young man, had better not run afoul of any more...dust bins, I believe they're called in the UK?"

Bastion grinned. "That's right. The 'dust bins' won't be messing with me any longer," the teen boy said proudly.

Violet had laughed a little at their words, but now pouted. "I still don't see why I can't walk...my legs are just fine!" she groaned.

Barbara sighed. "You need to rest still, honey. I know it's a little hard..."

"And the hospital needs to make sure that you get out of the hospital safe and don't fall so that you can't sue for millions of dollars!" Haylee added cheerfully.

Violet and Bobby grinned at their sister's words, while Barbara sighed again. "That's right, sweetie. We wouldn't want that happening," she replied.

"Hey, Bastion. You wanna 'do the honors'?" asked Bobby, motioning towards Violet's wheelchair.

Bastion nodded. "Thank you...all right then...hang on, Violet darling...I'm glad you're getting out of here. Must feel wonderful to have that chest tube out."

"You bet! That thing was annoying...always making me cough. But hey, now I have another scar to show our kids so they'll think their mom's cool!" she replied happily. As usual, Violet didn't even notice the meaning of her own words.

Bastion smiled at this, picturing himself with Violet in a delivery room, holding their first child. He shook himself out of that revelry and answered, "I daresay our kids will think their mum is cool anyway; that is, until they reach their teen years and decide that our taste in clothing and music is tragically horrendous."

Violet pouted again. "No way! I'm gonna be the coolest mom ever!! My kids aren't gonna be like Bobby during his high school years!" she replied, smirking.

"Hey!!!" Bobby yelled, angry that she'd brought up the subject of his not-so-great teenage years. Let's just say he got ringed into multiple cliques.

Alan smiled. "I thought I'd be cool forever too, honey. I was with it and then they changed what it was and what's it now is strange and horrifying...Well, maybe not that horrifying..."

"Not as horrifying as that green mohawk you used to have, anyway," Violet replied, smirk widening. Bobby snickered at her comment.

"Mohawk? Oh, that's nothing," Bastion grinned. "My dad apparently had a tattoo..."

Violet's smirk became a grin. "Really? I never would have thought...oh! Dad was going to get a spider web tattoo on his FACE!!"

Alan smiled. "Thank God I listened to your mother, Violet."

"Dad put the tattoo somewhere that only Mum could see it, and he had it removed when I was really little," Bastion explained.

"Well, I'm glad they have that technology now. Even though it would still have been painful if I hadn't convinced Al not to get that tattoo...I really don't know what you were thinking," Barbara explained.

"Honey, I was young and stupid," Alan explained.

"Daddy, that's a bad word," Haylee said. "My teacher says we shouldn't say it..."

"I bloody wish Crowler thought that way our first year," Bastion muttered.

Violet nodded. "Half the time he was saying it himself," she added.

"But from what you've told us, he's gotten a lot better. Right?" asked Barbara.

"Yes, he's grown quite a bit from our first year," Bastion admitted. "He does defend those of us who aren't Obelisk Blues and he's done a complete 180 when it comes to Jaden Yuki. He hated Jaden...He doesn't now...Truth to tell...he loves Jaden...get your mind out of the gutter, darling," he added, seeing Violet's expression.

Violet grinned sheepishly, sweat-dropping a little. "What? I wasn't gonna say anything..." she muttered as they finally made their way outside. It was hot and humid like every July in Ohio, though a light breeze was blowing off of Lake Erie.

"Violet-ani?" Cherri asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, Cherri-ani?" Violet replied, glad to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine.

"Want to stop for ice cream? My treat!"

'We had ice cream before...well, that doesn't matter. It sounds great!' she thought. "Sure, Cherri-ani! That sounds great!!"

"YAY! And it's great because I found all this money!"

"Money?" Bastion asked curiously.

"Yeah! The day after those jerks were arrested, there was an envelope full of money on our doorstep! And it said that I needed to use it to make Violet feel better!"

Violet blinked. "What...but who..?" she mumbled, confused.

"We thought maybe it was one of your friends, but remembered that they don't know Cherri's address," stated Barbara, frowning.

"Cherri-ani, there wasn't another address or name or anything on there?" Violet asked, very curious.

"There was a note with it," Cherri answered, "but I couldn't figure out the handwriting, Violet-ani." They reached the car and Bastion lifted Violet into a seat and climbed in himself. Cherri climbed in and Alan, Barbara, Bobby and Haylee did too. Cherri pulled the letter out of her pocket and handed it to Violet. "Do you know whose handwriting this is?"

Violet blinked, taking note of the curly writing, the heart-dotted i's, and the signature smiley at the bottom. Then, the face and name of the person hit her like a ton of bricks and she dropped the letter in shock. "I-I can't believe it..."

Bastion looked at her. "Violet...Darling, are you quite all right?" He was prepared to have Alan take them right back to emergency.

"I'm fine, it's just...wow," the purple-headed girl muttered, glancing at the letter again. "Cherri-ani...this is from...Triana," she answered.

Bobby blinked. "Isn't that your other friend who Mike cheated on you with?"

Bastion looked at the letter. "She said...Mike treated her poorly as well...after you left. She was wrong, she said, and she hopes this...will help you feel better in some small way...Cherri?"

"Yeah, Bastion-ani?"

"Does...does she still live around here?"

Cherri shrugged. "Violet-ani, do you know?"

Violet was still in some shock, but nodded. "Last I knew, she lived in the development down the street from our house. Unless she moved..."

"Would you...want to see her?" Bastion asked curiously. "Darling, we don't have to..."

Violet thought for a long moment, then nodded again. "Yeah...I do want to see her, actually. I mean...if Mike treated her just as badly..."

Alan looked back at his daughter as they approached a stop sign. She had gone from someone in pain and insecure to a strong young woman if she could face her former friend like this. It made him proud of her. "Maybe she'd like some ice cream, too," he suggested.

Violet smiled a little. "Yeah...and if she's not there, Bobby'll eat it. He IS the trash compactor of the family," she replied, smirking.

"Hey! Geez, you're so lucky I can't prank you right now," grumbled her brother.

"If you tried, I should have to prank you, old boy," Bastion threatened, grinning.

Bobby also grinned. "Oh, would you now? I highly doubt you could prank the king," he replied smugly.

"Psh, more like the king of bragging," stated Violet simply. Her brother face-faulted.

"VI!!!"

Alan smiled. "I never thought I'd be glad just to hear them fight," he commented to Barbara quietly. "Kids...we'll go and see if Triana's still there, okay?"

"YAY!" Cherri said happily. "Too bad Mom had to work, Violet-ani!"

"I know. Glad to have things normal again," Barbara whispered before the outburst.

"It's okay, Cherri-ani! I understand!!" Violet replied, smiling happily.

"Sissa? You're going to forgive her?" Haylee asked.

She sighed quietly. "I want to hear her side of the story...maybe I should have done that sooner..."

Bastion put his arm around her. "Darling, you didn't know...and you were so hurt after it happened. How could you even think straight?"

"I didn't...for a while...it was almost a week before I could get through the day without crying. A month before I finally got into my normal rhythm again. But...it still hurt and I was alone, so I decided to try for Duel Academy...and met you guys."

"Well, I'm glad you came...who knows how my life would've ended up?" Bastion sighed.

Violet hugged him. "Nowhere without me," she joked, smiling.

"Yeah...well, I'm glad to be with you, darling..." They rode along for a few minutes and then were to the South Royalton city limits.

Their first stop was the best ice cream shop in town, called Loder's Shake Shoppe. "I never understood why it had two P's," stated Violet as they entered the drive-thru.

"I think it's a Shakespearean thing," Bastion opined.

"Oh." Violet and her mother both ordered old-fashioned chocolate cones, while Bobby got a junior banana split. Haylee too got a junior banana split, Cherri got some cookies and cream ice cream and Bastion picked the old-fashioned chocolate cone as well. Violet thought for a few moments, trying to remember Triana's favorite. "It was so long ago," she mumbled, scanning the menu. "Oh! There, I remember now!! A strawberry shake with chocolate sauce."

Alan smiled and added that to the family's order. "Is that her favorite, darling?" Bastion asked.

"Yeah. She never got actual ice cream...something about shakes having fewer carbs," Violet replied, shrugging as they got their order.

"Those low-carb diets have their drawbacks...Dad says we should just exercise and eat balanced."

Violet shrugged again, taking a bite out of her ice cream. However, she quickly winced and placed a hand to her mouth. Bobby smirked. "She got a teeth freeze. You think she'd learn eventually," he explained, swallowing a large spoonful of his own ice cream. Half a second later, Bobby also cringed, receiving a brain freeze.

Barbara sighed. "You think they'd BOTH learn..."

Bastion had taken a bite of his ice cream and had the same problem. "Ooh...bugger bugger bugger..."

Violet finally sighed, the pain having subsided. "I. Hate. Freezes. Of either kind," she mumbled. This time, she had the sense to lick the ice cream instead of bite it. Bobby also resorted to eating smaller spoonfuls as they continued to drive.

"Oh, why did I bloody bite down..?" Bastion groaned, giving his head a moment to readjust. Alan drove and soon they arrived at the development. Violet frowned a little, remembering the times she and the others would ride their bikes around here. She wondered how in the world she could remember where Triana's house was after nearly three years, when she couldn't even remember what she'd had for breakfast yesterday. And then they reached it... It was a nice two-level house painted in a ruddy brown with big windows and a black front door. There was a Volkswagen New Beetle hybrid in the driveway and a non-descript black car. She shrank in her seat a little, nervous now that she was in front of the house. 'What if it wasn't her? What if she still doesn't like me??' the purple-headed girl thought worriedly.

Triana Everett hadn't expected to see a car pull up this late in the afternoon. And she definitely hadn't expected to see her former best friend, Violet Haverbrook come out of the car with a handsome young man and Cherri Blossom with her. 'Oh, my gosh,' she thought. 'She's here...' Triana took a couple of deep breaths and got up from the seat at the living room window. 'What do I say?' she thought, frightened. 'How do I say it?'

Violet glanced nervously at her fiancé and best friend, then shakily rang the doorbell. 'What do I say to her after so long? And what's she going to say to me??' she wondered anxiously.

And then...the time had come. Triana opened the door. Violet was surprised to see how much her friend had changed since they last saw each other. Her hair, once a shining blonde, was now light brown because she hadn't kept dyeing it. Her once-vibrant brown eyes had a dullness to them. "Hey, Violet," she managed.

Violet blinked, realizing she'd been staring. "H-Hi, Triana," she mumbled, twisting her hands. "Er..."

"Violet...would you guys...like to come in and talk?" Triana asked.

"Uh, yeah...that would be good..I mean, a good idea..." Violet cursed herself for being so anxious and tongue-tied as they entered.

Alan, seeing that Violet and the other two were heading in to talk with Triana, elected to take the rest of the Haverbrooks home and return for the other kids. "They'll be all right."

Meanwhile, Triana sat the kids down in her living room. "So...uh," she began.

Cherri grinned. "Here. Violet-ani got you this!" she said, cheerfully handing Triana the ice cream treat.

"Is this from Loder's?" Triana asked, looking at Violet in surprise.

Violet had completely forgotten about the ice cream, and nodded. "Yeah...we stopped for some, and I thought...maybe you'd want one..."

Triana took a sip and smiled. "This is my favorite!"

Violet smiled back a little. "Uh, yeah, I remembered from when we all used to go..."

"So...what brings you all here...and who's this?" she asked, looking at Bastion.

Bastion smiled easily. "Bastion Misawa, I'm her fiancé..."

Violet's smile grew. "Yeah...I'm engaged now," she added happily.

Triana's eyes filled with tears. "Violet...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry I..."

Violet blinked at the suddenness of Triana's apology, and felt old feelings of friendship return in just a few heartbeats. Violet stood and went to her, hugging her like she had years ago. "It's okay...Triana..."

"No, it's not okay! Because of me...you got hurt..."

"But...you didn't know...none of us did. Mike...he had another side...a bad one," Violet explained sadly, tears burning at the back of her eyes.

"I found out...after what happened..." Triana shook at the memories.

"Could you...maybe tell me?" Violet asked gently, sitting beside her.

Triana nodded a bit hesitantly. "This isn't easy..."

Bastion nodded. "It was no easier for Violet...and that...thing that dares call himself a man cannot harm you now. Go on," he finished, gently.

Violet placed a hand on Triana's shoulder as a gesture of comfort. "You'll feel better once you let it out..."

"He tried to make me do terrible things..."

Violet nodded. "He did that with me, too..."

Triana shivered. "He kissed me that day because he told me he was breaking up with you. He told me that he hit you in self-defense...but I knew you wouldn't hit him...But I was so stupid-in-love...I didn't want to see it..."

Violet blinked back tears at the memory, glad that her friend had reasons, after all. "Triana...I'm glad that you're telling me this. We all ignore things sometimes...if it'll give us what we really want...I always knew you wanted to date Mike..."

"Yeah...but I regretted it...After that day...he got ugly. We were out in the park and in one of those pavilions..." She shuddered.

Violet gave Triana's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Go on...it'll feel good to talk about it. Trust me..."

"Well, we started kissing and he...tried to go further than that..." Her eyes flooded with tears and Bastion's gray eyes were flashing.

Violet hugged her old friend. "What happened after that?"

"I fought back...he kept trying..." Triana took a deep, shaky breath. "And then when I screamed...there were people around and he stopped…he called me...things..."

She was shaking by this point, imagining how terrible it must have been. Violet had no idea Mike had done these things to anyone else. "I-I know how it feels, Triana...really...."

It was a very good thing for Mike that he was now in state custody, because Bastion's rage and chivalry would've combined in a horrific manner. "He...called me...things...and hit me a few more times...I...even hurt myself...after that..." Triana sounded as if she were in a trance.

Violet blinked in surprise. "What do you mean, Triana??"

Triana was wearing long sleeves which she now pulled up to reveal her scarred arms. "Triana..." Cherri whispered in horror.

"You tried cutting?" Bastion asked in horror.

Triana nodded. "I'm so ashamed..."

At that, Violet's own tears fell, and she hugged Triana again. "Oh, Triana....don't be. W-What you went through," she sniffed. "Even I-I thought about it..."

"My mom h-had t-to t-take m-me to the psych ward...I almost...one night," Triana admitted. "I cut too deep…"

Bastion moved quickly to hug both girls. "She's right, Triana...you don't need to be ashamed...Has your therapist told you that?"

"Yeah...but...I just..."

"It's t-true...if it wasn't for D-Duel Academy, I..." She couldn't say it, and simply kept her friend in the hug as they both cried.

Cherri threw herself around them too. "It's okay, Triana...We're your friends..."

"Yeah...from now on, we'll be friends again. Just like old times...except for the one who broke us apart," Violet added, wiping away her tears.

"And I won't let him harm my love or her friends, ever again," Bastion said calmly.

"T-thanks," Triana managed.

"I may be leaving in a month, but...we can spend it together and have fun. Besides, this is my last year of school," Violet explained, taking Triana's hand.

"R-really?" Triana asked, stunned. "We're friends again, just like that?"

Violet thought for a moment, forming her answer. "I...don't think we ever stopped being friends. We just got...separated is all. I wanted to get away and you...couldn't confront me until I was already gone..."

"I just wanted to run," Triana said softly. "And then Mike disappeared...and I heard what he'd become...And I thought you hated me..."

"I...didn't even know what had happened between you two...maybe I didn't want to know. If I knew he...did this, I would have talked to you a long time ago..."

And then they heard the car in the driveway. "Oh, that must be your dad, Violet," Bastion said. Cherri got up and ran out to the car, telling Alan what had happened.

Violet glanced out the window, seeing her dad and Cherri talking in the car. "We have to go...but maybe we can hang out tomorrow. That sound good?"

Triana nodded. "I'd like that...do you still have my phone number?"

Violet grinned sheepishly, realizing she didn't. "Uh, no, actually...heh..."

Triana moved quickly. "H-here...let me write it down..." She grabbed a pen and paper and wrote it down. "Here you go..."

"Thanks." Violet pocketed the paper and gave Triana one last hug. "Just remember that I've forgiven you, and we're friends...alright?"

"Y-yeah," Triana said, smiling shakily.

"Right then. Talk to ya tomorrow!" Violet had regained her energy and ran to the door, giving a quick wave. "Bye!!" she added before going outside and to the car.

Alan stuck his head out the window and waved to Triana. She waved back, smiling. Bastion helped Violet and Cherri into the car. "So, how'd it go?" Alan asked.

"I think it went really well...we're friends again. And now I know her side of the story," Violet answered, smiling a little.

Alan smiled sadly. "She went through bad things too, huh? I can judge by Bastion's expression that she did."

She blinked in surprise, turning to look at Bastion fully for the first time since they'd gone into the house. "Oh, Bastion-baby..."

"I'm sorry, Violet darling...It just infuriates me that he could be so...I just can't stand it!"

Not even a second after his words, Violet's arms were around him. "I know, I know...but he's gone now. We don't have to worry about him anymore," she soothed comfortingly.

"I know...and may God have mercy on him if his fellow inmates find out what he's accused of," Bastion said darkly. "I've seen Oz..."

"Uh, like the Wizard of Oz?" she asked.

Bastion sighed. "Er...it's a violent prison show..."

"Oh...well, I hope he doesn't die or anything. No one deserves that, no matter how bad," Violet replied, resting her head on his shoulder tiredly.

"Some of those prisoners might disagree with you, darling...they watched their mothers be harmed like Mike harmed you..." Bastion said softly. He wasn't sure, truly, how he felt about it. If Mike died in prison, the young man had to admit to himself that he probably wouldn't shed a tear.

"I know. But still...it's wrong to kill anything....at least, I think so... Nothing deserves to die..."

"Perhaps you're right, darling," Bastion said tiredly.

Luckily, they'd reached the house. "I think I'm gonna take a nap when we get inside...I'm really tired for some reason," Violet sighed sleepily.

"I think I shall as well," Bastion added. He felt emotionally drained as well.

"Mommy said you might feel that way, Violet-ani, so I'll go home and come back after naptime!" Cherri said cheerfully.

Violet smiled. "All right...that sounds good, Cherri-ani!" she replied, getting out of the car. She took a step forward, but stopped and balanced herself with a hand on the car. "I might need some help..."

Bastion caught her and scooped her up in his arms. "Allow me..."

"Thanks, Bastion-baby," Violet replied through a yawn as they went into the house.

"You're more than welcome, darling...I consider this practice..."

"For what?" she asked.

"Our...er...honeymoon?"

Violet blushed a little, sweat-dropping. "Ooh, right! Sorry, guess I am tired," she replied as he carried her up the stairs to her room and set her on the bed. "But man...does it feel good to be back in my room again..."

Bastion smiled. "It's rather nice to be back in here..."

"Meow..." Coco and Loki, Violet's two cats entered the room, glad to see their owner again.

"Oh! You guys missed me, huh?" Violet stated, hugging them.

"Yes, they did," Bastion answered. "When I returned here that one evening when your mother insisted that I take a break, they were rather insistent that I produce you..."

She grinned, petting them. "Aw, did you two get pushy with Bastion-baby?" Violet remembered receiving an email from home the day after she left for Duel Academy. Apparently, the cats had been destroying furniture in protest to her absence. Violet could only imagine what they put Bastion through.

"Yes, they did, but that was all right," he said, picking one of them up. "We became good friends, didn't we?" he asked the kitty that he picked up, Coco. She purred for him.

"Uh..." Before Violet could warn him, Loki hissed and jumped on his head. This caused Coco to be surprised and scratch his face, just like they had when they first met. Violet sighed. "You can't handle Coco if Loki's around...he gets defensive..."

"Ouch," Bastion groaned. "It's all right." He set the kitty down. "You two had better give Violet a break, all right? Violet, darling, would you like your pajamas?"

"Oh, don't worry about them. They'd never hurt me...and yeah, thanks!" she replied, smiling. Both cats looked innocent as ever, though the aggressive one looked rather smug at his handiwork.

Bastion chuckled. "I think I shall get mine on as well, but I'll help you first. Your Watapon pajamas are clean..."

"Hooray!" Violet then remembered something and smirked. "Hey, Bastion...I just remembered something else having to do with Watapon..."

"Yes, Violet?" Bastion asked as he pulled her pajamas from the drawer.

Her smirk grew. "You made a good choice choosing Sy to give me my Watapon underwear back...but where'd you get that pink box?"

Bastion flushed slightly. "Er...well...promise not to tell anyone?"

Now Violet HAD to know. "Of course!"

"Well...when I went home for the summer holidays our first year, I looked for a pink box. I was thinking at some point I'd be getting you a gift at some point, preferably for Christmas, but...well...it just so happened that I needed a pink box to return your delicates," he concluded.

"Aww...you were gonna get me a Christmas gift? Funny, since I was gonna get you one that year, too. Wanna know what it was gonna be?"

Bastion flushed, bringing over her pajamas. "Yes, I would...if you wouldn't mind telling me...Arms up," he said, helping her remove her regular top so he could replace it with the pajama top.

Violet let him help her slip on the dark magenta tank top with a fuzzy Watapon on the front as she talked. "Well...I was gonna wrap up some mistletoe for you and me..."

"Mistletoe...you...wanted to kiss me then?" he asked, now helping with her bottoms.

"Well, I liked seeing you blush...and, I thought that maybe kissing you would open you up more," she explained, blushing a little herself. Of course, Violet ALSO just wanted an excuse to kiss him...

"Well...Violet, I would've very much enjoyed that...my gift would've been so boring...but unfortunately, Miss Dorothy didn't keep them in stock..."

"And what's that, Bastion-baby?" Violet asked as she was finally fully clothed in her pajamas.

"One moment," he said, moving to his suitcase. He reached in a pocket and pulled a small bag out. "I got these while you were in the hospital..." "These" were a pair of black socks with Watapons all over them. "I hope you like them, love..." he said, kissing her gently.

Violet smiled and kissed him back happily. "Aw, Bastion-baby! I love them...I'm gonna wear them right now!!" she grinned, quickly switching socks. "Ooh...they're soft! Thanks, Bastion-baby!!"

"You're welcome, my love...I got those extra soft ones...Just a moment...I'll get my pajamas on..." He got his gray short pajamas on quickly. "All right, then..."

"You look so cute in those!" Violet stated, lying down on the bed comfortably.

"And you look darling in those," he said softly, lying down beside her, careful of her arm.

She giggled and wrapped her good arm around him, using his chest as a pillow. "I love you, Bastion-baby..."

"I love you too, darling...more than I can ever say," he whispered tenderly. And to his surprise, he choked up.

Violet had begun drifting off, but snapped awake at the sound. "Bastion-baby? Something wrong??" she asked worriedly.

"This...I thought we'd never have this again that horrible day, darling..." He had feared her being taken from him and to be here with her was pulling up emotions from deep with him.

She snuggled in closer to him at his words. "Oh, Bastion-baby...I'm glad we can have this again. I'm sorry I worried you so much..."

"Don't you be sorry..."

"Sor-....I mean, I just feel bad when I make you worry. I don't like seeing you that way..."

Bastion took a deep breath. "Darling...I worried about you...but for you to blame yourself for making me worry...you were not the cause of you lying in that bed..."

Violet frowned. "I know...I didn't like it when you blamed yourself, either. So...I won't blame myself..."

"Okay, darling," Bastion yawned. "Oh, my...terribly sorry...I'm drifting off..."

"You're not...the only one," she mumbled, yawning.

"Well, then...shall we rest?" the teen boy queried as his eyes began to close.

"Mmm..." Violet was already halfway there. Bastion fell the rest of the way with her. And the two cats cuddled at their feet, also asleep.

_Aww… so terribly fluffy at the end. Mike has more than just his treatment of Violet to answer for. The healing for Violet and Triana has begun and so we'll see what happens with them. Next time, "Violet's Sweet Sixteen!" Stay tuned, read and review! Thank you!_


	84. Violet's Sweet Sixteen!

Chapter LXXXIV: Violet's Sweet Sixteen

_Hello, dear readers! Welcome back to our taste of summer in the dead of winter, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, we hope you're enjoying the warm weather just before Christmas or Hanukkah! So thank you all for the reviews and welcome to our newcomers! If you'd like a private response to your reviews, we'd love it if you would log on or join the Fan Fiction site so we can respond to you! Anyway, on with the story!_

_Last time, we found out that Triana, Violet's friend whom Mike cheated with, was also abused by Mike. The two girls reconciled and Violet even invited Triana to her 16__th__ birthday celebration. And now, the celebration begins! Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: To see what we do and do not own, please see the previous 83 chapters. Thank you! In addition, the Jaden scene was inspired by the episode of "The Simpsons" where Apu was fired from the Qwik-E-Mart and James Woods took over. We don't own that, either.**_

The next day, Violet awoke in her own pink bedroom to Bastion singing the Happy Birthday song. "Many happy returns, my love," he said when he finished, kissing her as well.

She grinned happily and hugged him, kissing him back. "Oh, Bastion-baby! That was great, thank you!!"

"My pleasure, darling...Your mother has asked me if you would prefer your breakfast in bed. What shall I tell her?"

"Oh no, I've had enough of that in the hospital! Eating at the table sounds good to me," Violet replied, climbing out of bed and stretching.

"All right...do you feel strong enough to walk or would you like me to carry you down?" Bastion didn't want her feeling weak and falling down the stairs.

Violet thought for a moment. "I want to try doing it myself!" She made her way out of the room with ease, but got a little shaky a foot from the stairs. "Ooh...okay, help would be nice..."

Bastion hefted her as easily as he had last night. "No sense in weakening yourself. Besides, you did make it to the stairs, Violet, darling."

Violet smiled. "Yeah, guess you're right. I just don't like not being able to do things myself...like walking," she replied, sighing.

Bastion held her a little bit closer. "Darling...you're getting better. I know it's frustrating. You're able to walk a bit...that's something..."

"I know..." They entered the kitchen, where Barbara was making bacon, eggs, and toast.

The rest of the family was seated at the table. "Happy birthday, Violet!" they all cheered.

Bastion gently set her down in a chair and put a special party hat with a Watapon on it on her head. "There you are..."

"How did you like sleeping on your own bed, Violet?" Alan asked.

"It was great! But even better since I was able to sleep with Bastion-baby again!!" Violet answered, smiling.

Bobby smirked, and Barbara tapped him on the head with her spoon. "Don't even think what I know you are, Robert Alan Haverbrook," she stated warningly.

Bastion sighed and laughed. "It's quite all right, Barbara...I can't believe we slept as long as we did..."

"Oh, don't worry about it, Bastion. Once during Easter, Violet ate all of her Easter chocolate in one hour. She was up for twenty-four hours and slept for twelve," Barbara explained, passing out the food.

Violet blushed a little. "I was hungry for chocolate...I didn't know that would happen..."

"That reminds me of the time Jaden ate a ten-pound tub of Gummi Bears. Syrus told us that Jaden was awake for 96 hours and by the end thought he was some sort of hummingbird," Bastion said, sweat-dropping.

Violet nearly spit out her milk, but managed to swallow first and _then_ laugh. Bobby, it seemed, wasn't as lucky, and milk squirted out of his nose. This only caused Violet to laugh more as Barbara grabbed a napkin. "Oh, Bobby..."

"Perhaps this is a bad time to mention this...but we caught it on camera and I have it on my iPod..."

"Oh, oh, show us!" Violet begged, grinning.

"Just make sure you're not drinking milk again when he does, Bobby," stated Barbara, sighing.

"I know," he mumbled.

Bastion called it up quickly. "This is somewhere in the 85 hour mark..."

On the video, Jaden was moving around on the tiptoes of his boots. "Zee...zee...zee..." He moved back and forth for a minute and then disappeared and came close to the screen again.

"Jay, are you okay?" Sy's voice came from off-screen.

Jaden looked at Sy and grinned. "ZEE!!" The brunette boy moved delightedly toward the bluenette.

"JAY?!" Then everyone saw Sy running as Jaden appeared to be trying to catch him.

"He apparently thought that Sy was a giant flower," Bastion explained drily.

Violet was nearly falling out of her seat from laughing so hard, and Bobby had already done so. "Oh, my! The things that happen when you kids have sugar," Barbara stated, sighing and laughing at the same time.

"Jaden's nuts," Haylee said, eyes wide.

"He's...interesting," Alan said.

"There's never a dull moment with him around," Bastion commented.

"I know what you mean. There isn't a dull moment with Vi around, either," Bobby agreed when he'd caught his breath.

The birthday girl grinned. "I just like to keep moving and speak my mind."

"And that's why I love you," Bastion said cheerfully. She laughed a little and they all finished breakfast without anyone else squirting milk from their nose.

"Hey, Violet, we have a birthday surprise for you, honey," Alan said.

"Really? I should have guessed you guys would still do _something_ for my sixteenth birthday!"

"Well...we couldn't let it pass without doing something now could we, Violet?"

"I guess not...so what is it??" she asked excitedly.

Bastion had mysteriously disappeared for a moment. "Well," Alan said, "we're planning to go on a picnic, kiddo. Sound good?"

Violet's eyes lit up, and she jumped to her feet. "YAY! A picnic!!" she cheered happily.

"Told you she'd like the idea," stated Bobby.

"Would you like to invite Triana along, honey?"

She smiled a little. "Yeah, it'd be nice to have my old friends there. All of them..." Violet stopped, considering Mike to have been her friend a long time ago.

Bastion returned. "Well, darling, Cherri already agreed to come along, so with Triana, it will be a wonderful party. Too bad the rest of our friends can't make it."

Violet hadn't noticed him leave until he returned, having been too excited about the party. "Where'd you go, Bastion-baby?"

Bastion took a pink box from behind his back. "Here's my surprise for you, darling..." He set the box down in front of her.

Violet blinked in surprise, glancing at him before opening the box. She gasped in shock and happiness when she opened it, revealing its contents. "Oh, Bastion-baby..."

"It's your favorite Phoenix, right?"

Violet picked up the model of her dream car, which was a pale lavender with white interior. "Bastion, how did you know??"

"I...er..." Bastion wasn't sure what to say now.

Bobby sighed. "Sorry, Vi. I...kinda spilled the beans," he stated, grinning sheepishly.

Bobby thought she was going to do something bad to him, but she ended up hugging both him and Bastion. "Aw, you two…"

Bastion took a breath of relief. 'Oh, thank God,' he thought. "You're not angry with him?"

"Well...I'm a little mad that he told you stuff without my knowing. But if he hadn't, you wouldn't have gotten me this!" Violet explained, grinning.

"I'm sorry, darling, I just...wanted to surprise you," Bastion said. "But perhaps if I hadn't..." He swallowed tightly, the guilt he hadn't been able to escape taking over.

"Hadn't what, Bastion-baby?" she asked, turning to him.

"I placed the order on...the 5th..."

Violet still hadn't made the connection. "And...?" Bastion turned away, trying to fight the tears. She frowned worriedly, placing a hand on his arm. "Bastion...please tell me. I won't be mad, if that's what you're thinking," she murmured, as she didn't like seeing him this way.

"I should've gone with you..."

Alan got it. "Bastion, don't keep doing this to yourself. Violet, that was the day you ended up in surgery, sweetie..."

"I know that, Dad. But what does that have to do with why Bastion's upset??" Violet figured he'd placed the order sometime that day, when she hadn't noticed.

Bastion sighed. "I was grateful when you and Cherri went to ice cream...I should've gone with you instead of going to place the order..."

Violet was about to protest more, but then it clicked and she understood. "So, Bobby told us to go get ice cream so you could do that...oh, Bastion! Don't be mad at yourself!!" she begged, hugging him.

Bastion held her close. "If..."

Alan moved close and hugged the two. "Bastion...we've told you this since it happened. You had no way of knowing what was to come. And you need to forgive yourself before it consumes you..."

"Dad's right, Bastion. I don't blame you...and you shouldn't blame yourself, either. No one knew it would happen..."she added, burying her face in his chest.

Bastion sighed. "Just being silly, I suppose. Annie would remind me to watch the first episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and tell me to stop existing in that moment," he concluded sheepishly.

Violet smiled, laughing a little at his words and glad to see that he wasn't sad anymore. "Oh, Bastion-baby. You're so funny..."

"So...I've gone on a couple of picnics...What do you like doing when you have a picnic on your birthday, darling?" Bastion asked.

Violet thought for a moment. "Well, I like setting the blanket under a big tree for shade. We all would play around until the food was ready and then eat. Sometimes, we'd take a nap or rest under the tree a while before leaving," she explained, remembering the old picnics she'd had.

Bastion smiled. "That sounds nice. I guess we'll be doing a lot of sitting..."

Haylee sighed. "Sissa, you can't play soccer..."

Violet frowned. "Oh...I forgot," she sighed sadly.

Barbara placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Don't worry, sweetie. If I know you, you'll think of something to do."

"Hmmm...Haylee?" Bastion asked.

"Yes, Bastion?"

"Could we pass a ball? Would that be all right?"

"YAY!!!"

Violet smiled. "Oh, you guys...I'll think of some other things we can do, too! We should probably get packing the food up, though. If we want to get back and have enough time for you to do your thing," she reminded everyone, grinning at her fiancé.

"Good point," Bastion answered. "And you have a phone call to make, darling..."

"You go ahead, and we'll get the things together," stated Barbara, smiling.

"Okay..." Violet grabbed the phone and went to her room, since she knew it'd get noisy out there. She then dialed Triana's number written on the slip of paper.

Down the road, Triana Everett had just seen her mother and father off to work and sighed. 'What now?' And then the phone rang. "Um…hello?"

"Hi, Triana. It's Violet, told you I'd call!" the birthday girl greeted cheerfully.

"Violet? Hey!"

"Guess what day it is!" Violet grinned.

Triana looked at the calendar. "The 20th...wait, it's your birthday! Happy birthday!" she said happily.

"YAY! You remembered!! Well, it's not just any birthday. It's my sweet sixteen! We were going to have a picnic and the park, and so I wanted to ask if you could come. Cherri-ani's going to be there, too."

Triana was stunned for a second. And then she smiled. "Of course, I'd love to come."

"Great! Do you need to be picked up??"

"Uh...yeah, if that's all right..."

"Of course it is, silly! We'll be there in a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay!" Triana said, feeling happier than she had in quite some time.

"See you in a bit, Triana! Bye!!" Violet was in a good mood again, excited for what the day would bring.

Triana went and got her outfit on. She had put on shorts and was reaching for her customary long top when she reached for a short-sleeved t-shirt instead. 'I'm okay...and I won't hide these scars anymore.'

Back at the Haverbrook residence, Violet went back to the kitchen, where her family and fiancé were finishing up the packing. "She's going to come! But we need to pick her up," she stated happily.

"Okay, sweetie. Now, you need to get dressed," Alan reminded her.

"I can help you," Bastion offered, already in shorts and a form-fitting grey sleeveless shirt.

"All right, Bastion-baby. And you look cute as always!" Violet replied, grinning.

"Would you like to walk to the stairs, love, or shall I carry you all the way?"

"I'm going to try again, Bastion! But, uh, maybe you should stay behind me? Just in case..."

"Right next to you, darling," he said as she stood.

Violet held a determined expression as they stood in front of the stairs, like facing an old enemy. "I will conquer you!" she stated, and started upward. There were ten steps total, and by the fifth she was getting a little shaky. Bastion stayed right next to her, putting his arm around her. "I can do it," Violet muttered, taking another step. She reached the eighth, and slowly climbed the ninth. 'Can't give-up now...one more...I WILL BEAT YOU, STAIRS!!!' she thought. The purple-headed sixteen-year-old reached the top, grinning victoriously before falling against Bastion tiredly. "Told you...I could...do it..."

"Wonderful, darling," Bastion said, hugging her and supporting her at the same time. "Need a...pick-me-up?"

"Uh, yeah," Violet replied, blinking and wondering what he meant.

"All right then," he said, sounding happy and picking her up. "I'll take you the rest of the way..."

"Heh heh, okay...you sure like carrying me..."

"Of course...I also like kissing you," he said, doing just that.

Violet blushed, wagging her finger at him scoldingly. "Oh, Bastion-baby. You're so bad kissing me without warning," she joked.

"Oh, like pulling the idea for the Routine wasn't bad?" he teased.

She grinned sheepishly. "What? He liked it, didn't he??"

"Later, Zane admitted to liking it... pity that didn't come until later..."

"Yeah...but the others liked it! Even Chazzy was laughing!!" Violet reminded happily as they entered her room.

"Yes, well...it was rather amusing...too bad Doctor Crowler nearly...well...he about had a coronary with our later plan..."

She blushed at the memory. Violet hadn't seen much, but what she had seen made her blush redder than a tomato. "Yeah. You guys should have seen Alexis and Rosa's faces! Mine was probably pretty funny-looking, too. But at least I cheered you all on!"

"I was rather relieved to be in the middle of the pack...Atticus, however..." Bastion frowned.

Violet sighed. "I think that's one of the reasons Alexis was so shocked..."

"I still think no one was as shocked as Dr. Crowler and Professor Bonaparte...I'm sure I heard the latter swear..."

She gasped. "He swore?!"

"Yes...In French..."

"Cool...hey, wait, you know French??"

"Yes, I do, a few phrases," Bastion admitted.

Violet grinned, wanting to test something. "Can you say something in French, then?"

Bastion nodded. "Je'taime, mi amor..." What he had said was "I love you, my love."

Her grin broadened and her eyes lit up, one could almost see hearts in them. "I was right! French with a British accent _is_ cute!!"

"Uh...really?" Bastion asked.

"Yup! You've got to speak it more often, Bastion-baby!!"

"All right...I'll have to brush up on it, though," he admitted. "So...what would you like to wear today?"

"Anything that's fitting for a summer picnic!"

"Pants or dress?" he asked.

"I haven't worn a dress in a while...and I'm not going to be doing much running or anything for once. So dress!"

"All right," Bastion said, setting her down on her bed once they were in the room. He pulled out a shocking pink dress with short sleeves from her closet. "How about this one? Oh...and I have just the thing to go with it..."

"Looks great to me! What'd you have in mind?" Violet asked, grinning.

Bastion had a small smile on his face and went to his suitcase where he pulled out a jewelry box. "Darling...I did some research after...and when...your necklace couldn't be repaired..."

"Oh...I'd been starting to wonder about that..."

"Well... open this..." He held out the box to her.

She took it, pulling off the lid. For the second time that day she gasped in surprise and happiness. "Bastion..."

Inside the box was a brand new Watapon necklace and a pair of earrings. "I had the components of the old necklace fashioned into earrings. And I got a new necklace."

Seeing the precious item again brought tears to Violet's eyes, and she practically felled him with her hug. "Oh, Bastion-baby...you don't know how happy this makes me!"

Bastion was prepared for her reaction and just held her close. "Oh, my love...all I want is to make you happy...Shall we get you dressed and then put these on you?"

She wiped the tears of joy away and smiled up at him, nodding. "This is already the best birthday ever! And the day's barely begun!!"

Bastion, too, found his face wet. "Oh, darling...I couldn't tell you how glad I am to hear you say that..." He wiped his eyes quickly and said bracingly, "Now then...let's get you dressed." He headed to her bureau drawer and pulled out her favorite pair of Watapon panties and a matching bra. To these he added socks and a pair of light-weight sneakers.

"Heh heh, this time you're holding them with my permission," she joked, smiling when he grabbed the underwear.

"Oh, bugger...you know...I thought eventually you'd chase me down with that pink bazooka if you ever found out...I think Annie suspected it was me..."

"I'm not surprised she didn't tell me. Probably figured it was for the best, and I guess it was."

"I was the one who sent Syrus to deliver those panties..."

"Why'd you pick him, anyway??"

"I knew you wouldn't hurt him."

"Oh, good point. When he first gave them to me, I thought _he_ might have done it."

"No," Bastion answered. "I never did tell you how spectacularly your booby traps worked. Poor Chazz..."

"So they did work, after all," Violet grinned. "I was wondering if they'd actually hit their mark."

"Oh, they did. Jaden asked why Chazz was dressed as a chicken."

"I got that idea from a little movie called Home Alone. But the rest was all from scratch."

"The mayo? The cream pie?"

"Yup. Don't forget the floorboard, bookshelf, hand buzzers, and super glue. Not to mention the conveniently placed nail polish remover."

"Chazz's hands were raw after that...and we had to work most of the night to clean him up. I felt horrible..."

"I'd say sorry, but...you guys brought it upon yourselves... There were booby traps for a reason; Mom warned me about possible panty raids..."

"Well...I should've gone in myself...I wanted to know more about you as I've repeatedly said," Bastion admitted as he got her dressed. "There you are...ready for the finishing touches?"

"Yup!" Violet replied excitedly.

Bastion guided her over to her dresser and put her necklace and earrings on. He then brushed her hair back and pulled it into a ponytail. "There we are. All right?"

"I could've done that myself, you know. But you did a good job for a guy!" she answered, smiling at her reflection in the mirror.

"Oh, sorry," Bastion said, a bit chagrined. "I figured it would be difficult with your arm, love."

"Don't worry about it! So, how do I look?" Violet asked, twirling in front of him so her dress billowed slightly.

"Breath-taking...I daresay...and I admit to a great deal of bias...that you are the most beautiful young woman I have ever seen..."

She blushed at the compliment; he always seemed to be able to say just the right thing. "And _you_, sir, are the most handsome young man _I've_ ever seen."

"Well, shall we go downstairs, then?"

"Of course! I think we've made them wait long enough," she replied happily. Violet walked out of the room and over to the stairs again, waiting to make sure Bastion was beside her.

"I'm right here," he said, offering her his strong arm. "Milady..."

Violet grinned and locked arms with him. "Sir knight," she replied. They carefully made their way down the steps and into the kitchen, every now and then Violet leaning on him for support.

They made it down the stairs to the kitchen and Bastion said, "May I proudly present the birthday girl?"

Barbara smiled happily when she saw her daughter, eyes catching the jewelry especially. "Oh, sweetie, you're beautiful," she stated.

Bobby grinned. "So you finally gave 'em to her." The whole family had known about the jewelry set, but Bobby had been the one to pick up the jewelry when Violet was still in the hospital.

Alan smiled, relieved. "Oh, you look wonderful, Violet." He headed over and gave his eldest daughter a big yet gentle hug.

She hugged her father back, blushing a little at their compliments. "Thanks..."

"We've got everything ready, Violet, so would you like to get ready and go now?"

"Yeah! I can't wait to get to the park!!" Alan nodded, headed out and got the car going. Everyone was ready, so they headed to the car. Bastion helped Violet to the car and Bobby helped his mother carry a huge picnic basket. Violet grinned. "I remember when we bought that basket! We always had to take two or three since we had picnics with so many people," she stated.

"That's load one, Sissa!" Haylee said cheerfully. On cue, Bobby and Barbara headed back into the house and came back with three more baskets.

"We have GOT to stop inviting so many people to these things," Bobby grunted as he heaved his basket into the back.

"Oh, we don't have them that often, Bobby," Barbara replied, hefting her own basket into the trunk.

"Oh, we have to stop at the bakery too, Barb, remember?" Alan asked, grinning and winking. They had placed an order for a special ice cream birthday cake to surprise Violet with.

"Right," she answered, also grinning.

Violet looked from her father to her mother and pouted. "Mom, Dad, don't keep secrets!"

"Oh, honey, you'll be thrilled!" Alan grinned.

Bastion looked curious. He didn't know about this. "Er...what's going on, Alan?" Bastion asked.

"You'll see," the father answered slyly.

"Should we pick Triana up first?" Violet asked.

"We'll pick up Triana and then Cherri and her mom, okay?" Alan said.

They drove quickly down to Triana's house where the girl was waiting. "Hey, Violet," she said cheerfully, coming into the car.

"Hi, Triana! Glad you could come!!" Violet replied just as cheerfully.

"I decided I'm done hiding in my house and hiding my arms...this is the first time I haven't worn a long-sleeved top in some time." Triana's arms were badly scarred, but she didn't seem to care.

"That's great! I told you talking about it would help," Violet stated happily, hugging her friend.

"Yeah. I feel so much better now...And I know someday...I'll find somebody decent!"

"Like Bastion-baby!" Violet cheered, turning her hug onto him.

Triana smiled happily. "Yeah..."

Bastion blushed at the admiring glances he was getting. "Oh my...this is quite...well..."

"It's quite what??"

Bastion played with his collar nervously. "I've...never been admired like this..."

Violet blinked. "Of course you have! You were admired all the time back at school!!"

"I was?" Bastion was admittedly stunned. "Really?"

She was surprised he'd never noticed. "Bastion...you had the top testing score! You were the best of Ra and had beaten an Obelisk!! You even nearly beat Jay! How could anyone _**not**_ admire you??"

"Well...I guess...I didn't notice because it seemed like I was ignored, you know?" he admitted.

"Why'd you think that??"

Bastion sighed. "With the exception of you and the gang...I felt forgotten. I never heard my name mentioned in the hallways."

"Well, how often did you hear any of our names mentioned in the hallways?"

"Jaden's, a great deal, Chazz, quite a bit...Syrus, at least twice a day. Alexis...almost every minute...Especially..." His face went red.

Violet was surprised at this, as she never heard anyone's names in the halls. 'But then, I don't really pay attention to gossip...I usually daydream,' she thought. "Especially...?"

"In the...er...locker room..." Bastion ducked his head.

Triana couldn't help it. She started giggling. "Oh, man...and you're so sweet! He gets embarrassed!"

"Well...it isn't always polite," Bastion explained.

Violet grinned, snuggling against him. "All right, so you heard them, but think of all they've been through. Sure, you fought against the Shadow Riders, too. But they've just gotten more chances to become well-known. You don't hear anyone talk about Annie or me a lot, do you?"

Bastion sighed. "I heard more about you than Annie..."

Violet's head snapped up to look at him. "Wait, you did??"

Bastion nodded. "You're always so exuberant, darling. No one can ignore you."

"Oh...it wasn't anything bad, was it??" she asked worriedly.

Bastion smiled, holding her close. "Well, when it was...I told them where they could put their opinions. In Pharaoh's cat box."

"Heh heh heh...well, Bastion-baby, maybe you're not as popular as some of the others. But who cares so long as you have your friends...and fiancée?"

"True," he said, relaxing. "I guess I should remind myself of that more often, darling."

"Don't worry; I'll be sure to remind you, too!" By now they'd reached Cherri's house, and both mother and daughter were waiting outside.

_And so, the celebration of Violet's birthday has begun. What delightful insanity awaits our group of partygoers when they reach the park? Next time, "Sixteen Candles, a Watapon and a Great Dane!" Until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! We each thank you very much! _


	85. Sixteen Candles, a Watapon and a

Chapter LXXXV: Sixteen Candles, a Watapon and a Great Dane

_Hello, everyone and welcome back! Sorry for the delay in a new chapter, folks; it was Peach's fault. She's been working on a very special Christmas present for her niece and so has been away from the computer a lot. So thank you for your reviews and your patience, and now it is time for your patience to be rewarded! But first, Happy Hanukkah and merry Christmas to everyone!_

_Recap: Last time, Violet awoke to begin celebrating her sixteenth birthday. And now it continues!_

_Authors' note: Yet again…mentions of spousal abuse. There are some wonderful men out there, but there are some bad ones too. So we have one more bad one in this chapter. Thank you._

"VIOLET-ANI!" Cherri shouted happily. "BASTION-ANI! AND TRIANA!!!" Cherri had healed well from her concussion and injured head. She was back to the happy teen girl she'd been before, except for some residual nightmares.

Sakura was a little surprised to see their old friend, even if her daughter had explained somewhat. "Hello, everyone. Happy birthday, Violet," she greeted warmly.

"Thanks, Sakura! You remember Triana, right?" Violet replied, grinning.

"Oh yes, of course I do. It's nice to see you again, Triana," Sakura greeted once more as they got into the car.

"Hi, Sakura..." Triana extended her hand to shake Sakura's hand.

Sakura shook Triana's hand, noticing the scars lining the girl's arms. "Triana, did you...?"

Triana smiled. "I'm feeling better, Sakura. I have friends again. Mike hurt me too, and I'm done hiding away. I'm never doing that again and I'm showing everyone I survived."

Sakura smiled. "That's wonderful, Triana. I'm so glad that you girls are taking control of your own lives after what happened," she answered, the tired expression returning to her eyes for a moment.

Cherri might never have said anything, but with this display of girl power, she had to say something. "You got your life back, Mommy..."

Bastion looked in shock. "What?" He looked to Violet. "What's happened?"

Sakura glanced at her daughter in surprise, since Cherri had never mentioned the subject in public. Violet glanced at them, then at Bastion. "Well...it's kind of a long story," she mumbled, unsure.

"It's all right, Violet. Bastion, remember when I said that we moved to Canada because of...family problems?" began Sakura.

Bastion nodded, getting a familiar sense of foreboding. "Yes..."

"By 'family problems,' I meant one member in particular. There's a certain reason you haven't met Cherri's father..."

Bastion's eyes widened in horror as he found out his suspicions had been dead on accurate. "He...oh no..."

Cherri looked at her mother. "Be brave, Mommy..."

Sakura sighed. "Luckily, Cherri was spared from him...from what he used to do. I'd send her off on errands or give her some money to go get ice cream with her friends. But she knew...I could tell...."

Cherri nodded, going silent. Bastion moved forward and touched Sakura's shoulder. "You're brave to speak of this...No male can call himself a man if he thinks hitting a woman is okay..."

Cherri shivered. "Cherri?" Triana asked.

"I heard," the pink-headed girl whispered.

"Yes...there was one time when he came home at an unusual time. Violet was over and he...did what he always did when he came home drunk. That's the only reason they truly knew," Sakura explained.

Bastion knew something. "You aren't alone...apparently, a duelist by the name of Joey Wheeler...he and his mother and sister were domestic abuse survivors..."

"Isn't he that famous duelist?" Sakura asked, recognizing the name.

"Yes. A friend of ours knew about it. He spoke of it when we met him," Bastion answered and continued, "Joey spoke of it and Annie told us all about it."

"Well, that's why we moved. After I divorced him, I was afraid he might try something. I know that Violet needed Cherri with her at the time, after what happened. But...I was worried about our own safety."

Bastion nodded. "You were right to go...Joey's father apparently beat him a great deal after Joey's mother took his sister and ran. Joey didn't get away from his father until a confrontation at Domino Children's...my dad remembered that day...I sort of do…"

"I remember seeing that on the news," replied Sakura. It had been a while ago, back when Cherri was very young, but it stuck out in the woman's mind.

"Yes...I was five when it happened." Bastion shivered, remembering the report. His dad had been on duty and his mother had been very frightened as they had watched the news together, praying that Hiro would be okay.

Alan nodded. "Yeah...that standoff was all over the news."

"I remember something about that...there was a lot of talking, though. So I didn't pay attention until the police confronted him," Violet added.

Bastion sighed. "Joey confronted his father that day. His mum and sister were at the hospital and his father knew and was inebriated...I heard later that the medical examiner found a lot of things in his system."

Cherri's eyes widened. "You mean his daddy..?"

"He wouldn't surrender," Bastion explained gently.

Alan understood. "He wanted power...and it got taken away."

"That's how they all are," added Sakura knowingly. "Mike, my husband, Joey's father...they all wanted power and control but in the end got nothing..."

"And we survived," Triana said.

Cherri, who'd been quiet, now brightened. "And Bastion-ani made sure Mike'll stay away forever!!!"

"I...did only what had to be done," Bastion said softly.

"Well, just don't scare me like that again, okay?" Violet asked as they pulled up to the bakery.

"I won't...perhaps the worst is over for us," he answered.

Alan hopped out of the car and ran into the bakery. He came out with a big box. "Violet? Do you want to see?"

"Yeah! Lemme see, Dad!!" she replied eagerly.

Alan opened the box and inside was an ice cream cake made to look like a Watapon. "Do you like it, honey?"

Violet grinned, face lighting up at the sight of it. "It looks perfect, Dad! Thanks!!" She hugged her parents happily, as the day seemed to get better and better.

They drove to the park and went to a huge picnic area. Other families were around but spread out all over the place. "So where should we set up, darling?" Bastion asked as he helped her out of the car.

"Where we always have our picnics," Violet replied, looking around. "There!" She pointed at a large willow tree whose vast shade was unoccupied.

Alan grinned at his daughter's choice. "How did I know you'd pick that tree?" he asked jokingly.

"Sissa loves that tree, Daddy!" Haylee said cheerfully.

Bastion looked at his love, grabbed a backpack containing blankets and put it on his back. Then he asked Violet, "Do you need me to carry you?"

"I made it up those stairs, and I can make it to that tree! Or my name isn't Violet Angeline Haverbrook," she stated and started walking.

Barbara sighed, grabbing a basket. "Don't take it personally, Bastion. If you haven't noticed yet, she likes doing things on her own," she explained.

"Sometimes I'd call her Vi the Independent," added Bobby, grinning.

Bastion smiled. "I wouldn't have her any other way...I will, however, stay close to her..."

"That's a good idea. You kids go on ahead while we get this," stated Sakura.

So Bastion, Cherri, Triana, and Haylee quickly caught up with a determined Violet. "It wouldn't be...so hard if...this cast wasn't...here!"

"Are you all right, darling?" Bastion asked, getting close.

"Yeah, take it easy, Violet," Triana added.

"Violet-ani, we're here!" Cherri grinned.

"You can do it, Sissa!" Haylee exclaimed.

"I'm...fine," the birthday girl huffed. A few seconds later, Violet slammed her good hand against the tree's trunk victoriously. "See? Told ya...I could...do it," she stated between gulps of air. She then leaned against the trunk tiredly, sliding down it to the grass. "Man...."

Bastion spread the blanket out fast. "Just relax, darling...you did it..." He sat down next to her, content.

"YAY VIOLET!" her girlfriends shouted as one.

Violet blushed a little, rubbing the back of her head. "Oh, you guys," she sighed. About half a minute later, the others had walked over with the baskets and other things.

"I saw you make it to the tree, sweetie. That's my girl," stated Barbara, smiling.

"Yeah, Vi's so stubborn that she can do anything if she wants to enough," added Bobby, smirking.

Alan grinned at his wife. "You're pretty stubborn, too, son...you get it from both of your parents."

"Well, stubbornness can be a good thing," reminded Sakura as they sat down.

"Now, did you kids want to eat first or play something?" asked Barbara.

"PLAY!" Haylee said cheerfully.

"We can do whatever," Triana answered.

"Whatever Violet-ani wants!" Cherri added.

"I'll do what the birthday girl desires," Bastion added.

Violet smiled. "Well, I'm up for playing something before lunch," she replied.

"All right. Anyone have some ideas?" asked Bobby, grinning.

Haylee pulled out a small ball. "Let's pass the ball! Sissa can play that!!!"

"All right. Uh, just be careful. Remember...?" Violet waved her cast, sweat-dropping.

"We don't need that wrist getting broken again," stated Barbara.

"We can just sit around in a circle and pass it from person to person...That number game, I believe it's called. We each are a number," Bastion explained. "Does that sound like fun, love?" he asked Violet.

"Sure...but I've never played it," she answered, grinning sheepishly.

"Me neither," added Bobby.

"I have!" Haylee said cheerfully. Everyone sat down in a circle and each got a number from 1 to 9. Each person would call out the number of the person he or she was passing to.

"Who gets the ball first?" asked Barbara. Since it was 1 to 9, everyone was playing.

"I believe the honor goes to number 1, the birthday girl," Bastion said, who was number 2.

"All right...I'll pass it to number 3!" Violet stated, rolling it to Bobby. "I'll pass it to 5!" he replied, rolling it towards Alan.

"And I'll pass it to 4," Alan said cheerfully, passing it to his wife.

"Here it comes, 7!" she said, passing it to Sakura.

"2, it's all yours," Sakura stated, rolling it to Bastion.

"And I pass it to number 1!" the teen genius said happily, passing it back to his fiancée.

Violet leaned over to kiss him on the cheek before returning to the game. "6!" she shouted, rolling it to Cherri.

"9!" Cherri exclaimed, passing the ball to Haylee.

"8!" Haylee grinned, passing the ball to Triana.

The cider-haired girl took the ball from the lavender-haired munchkin and grinned. "3!" she said, pushing the ball to Bobby.

Bobby was about to grab the ball, when the sound of barking reached his ears. The next thing he knew, a Great Dane wearing a bright red collar and leash was on top of him with the ball in his mouth. "Ooh," Bobby groaned, the big dog heavier than Haylee.

The dog's owner, a little boy of about 9, came running. "Bad dog, Scooby! Bad! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry about that!" he apologized, getting the dog off of Bobby.

Bobby sat up, brushing some grass from the back of his head. "Hey, don't worry about it. I figured that would happen...just not to me," he replied, grinning. Violet, however, was hiding behind Bastion from the large dog.

The little boy, a redhead with a lot of freckles, had some difficulty controlling the beast, which now jumped up on Bastion and started licking him in the face. The British boy started to laugh. "Oh, my, you are quite friendly, aren't you?" He got the dog down off of him, smiling. "Rather like Uncle Takashi's Irish Wolfhound..."

"Sorry, mister..."

"Quite all right..." Bastion gave the leash to the young owner and the kid walked off after apologizing again. "Violet, are you all right?" her fiancé asked, noticing how nervous she was.

Violet had crawled about a foot away when the dog "attacked" Bastion, as she thought. "Uh, I don't like dogs...especially big ones," she mumbled, moving over to sit by him again.

"One might call Violet a cat person. A lot of our family had big dogs when she was little, and they scared her," explained Barbara.

"Ah...Since Mum and Dad worked so often, the pets I've ever had are in aquariums," Bastion said. "Uncle Takashi's wolfhound can be rather...overpowering. I was rather frightened of it when I was younger. He can still make me nervous, as he is the size of a pony..."

Violet's eyes widened at the thought, and she hugged his arm. "Uh, Bastion-baby? If I ever meet your uncle...could he keep the dog at home??" she asked.

Bastion nodded. "Of course, love. He'll keep Rupert on his dog run..."

"Hey guys. I just realized....that dog still has our ball," stated Bobby, blinking.

The little boy came back, sans dog, with a very slobbery ball in his hand. "Sorry..."

Bobby took the ball, grimacing a little. "Uh, don't worry about it. Thanks..."

The little boy went running off, presumably to his parents and his dog, leaving the birthday group together. "That was...interesting," Triana said, looking stunned.

"You should see what we've dealt with at Duel Academy, Triana," Bastion answered.

Cherri grinned. "That was COOL! I could ride that dog! I rode a big white one once!"

"I remember that! He was pretty friendly for a dog, too," replied Violet, grinning.

Bobby tossed the ball into the grass, wiping his hand on his pants. "Well, anyone have any other ideas?"

"Er," Bastion muttered.

"Hmmm," Alan began and stopped.

"What do you want to do, Violet-ani?" Cherri asked.

Violet thought for a few moments. "Oh! Let's play Telephone!!"

"Telephone?" Bastion asked, a bit surprised.

"Oh, I haven't played that in...forever," Triana grinned.

"YAY! Telephone!" Haylee grinned.

"Bastion-baby, you know how to play, right?" Violet asked.

"Yes, I remember... and I would like to start, if possible..." Bastion had an idea for a very sweet message for the birthday girl, if it worked.

"Sure, Bastion-baby!" she replied happily.

And so, Bastion whispered the message to Bobby. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young woman who is very much loved."

Bobby smirked, and passed the message on to Haylee. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young woman who is very...uh, annoying." He hadn't done it as revenge fully; he just needed something to fill-in the gap since he didn't hear the last part.

Haylee was glad that the order had changed in seating, because she now whispered to her mother, "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young woman who is very noisy."

Barbara blinked in slight surprise, but then repeated the message to her husband. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young woman who is very nosy."

Alan's eyes widened at what his wife said, but relayed the message to Cherri. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young woman who is very nosy."

Cherri's eyes bugged, but she whispered to her mother, "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young woman who is very naughty."

Sakura was a little unsure, but leaned over to whisper the message to Triana. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young worm who is very naughty..."

Poor Triana! She was mortified, but relayed the message as this..."Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young worm who is very nice."

Violet's jaw dropped. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young worm who loves lice???"

"Er...no..." Bastion groaned, wishing that his message hadn't fallen flat. "The message was, 'Violet Angeline Haverbrook is a beautiful young woman who is very much loved.'"

"Ooh...I was worried for a minute there," Violet replied, relieved. She hugged Bastion and gave him a quick kiss. "Who knew it could have gotten so messed up??"

"Bobby said you were annoying," Haylee offered.

"I didn't hear the last part! And I needed to get revenge _somehow_," he said defensively.

"So you changed annoying to noisy, sweetie?" asked Barbara.

"Yeah! Violet makes lots of noise!" Haylee said cheerfully.

Violet sighed. "Well, I'm a little afraid of what might be changed next time. How about we have lunch now?"

"Okay!" Alan said. "Guys, let's get this fixed, shall we?"

They nodded, and everyone except Violet started setting up the food. She reached out to steal some icing from the cake, but was stopped by her mother. "After lunch, Violet Angeline Haverbrook," Barbara stated.

Bastion started taking out plates and handed one to Violet. "Here you are, Violet. Now, would you like Mountain Dew, pink lemonade, diet cola? What sounds good?"

"Why, Mou-" she began.

However, Bobby had already set a can next to her. "She _**always**_ has Mountain Dew," he explained.

"I think I'll have the same," Bastion said, getting a can himself. Alan got bags of chips, sandwiches and potato salad out, while Barbara dished the last out. Cherri, Triana and Haylee scooted over to the birthday girl.

"OH! Presents, Sissa!" Haylee said cheerfully.

Triana and Cherri grinned. "We went out together late yesterday afternoon, Violet-ani!" Cherri grinned, putting her arm around Triana.

"Yeah. You guys were both sound asleep and your mom didn't want to wake you up," Triana added, smiling.

Violet grinned. "Aw, you two! I should have known you'd manage to find time to get me something, even if it was at two in the morning!!" she replied happily.

"Well, it's a good thing you crashed at four in the afternoon!" Triana laughed. The two older girls handed their friend a bright pink package. "Happy birthday!" they said joyfully.

"Oh, and I had to do some hacking to make this, Violet-ani!" Cherri added.

"Hacking?" Violet mumbled, opening it. She thought that Cherri had meant hacking with an axe or saw, not the computer kind. But in the package was a framed picture of Violet, Cherri and Triana a few years previously. In the original picture, Mike had been in it. Now, however, in his place was Bastion and around them were Violet's friends from Duel Academy, each of them younger. Her jaw dropped in shock and wonder, eyes wide. "Guys...how did you do this?!"

Bastion was impressed. "Well, while you were in the hospital, darling, Cherri asked for information on me once she was released...but how in heaven's name she got all of us..."

"I hacked into the Duel Academy mainframe and got everybody's information and made phone calls, Bastion-ani!" Cherri said cheerfully.

Violet hugged her friends and fiancé. "Oh, this is the best present I could have gotten from you two!"

Triana and Cherri hugged back. "We're glad you love it," Triana said. "Annie's mom helped us with finding her picture. You'll have to tell us about all of them..."

Violet blushed as her stomach gave an impatient growl. "Uh, after lunch, alright?"

"Okay, Violet-ani!" Cherri said, getting a club sandwich that was nearly as big as her head.

Violet grinned, grabbing another about the same size and eating a quarter of it in one bite. "Violet, remember to chew your food," reminded Barbara.

Bastion had grabbed a huge turkey sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. And then he thought of something funny, started to laugh...and choked. Violet blinked, and did what she always did when someone around her was choking—usually Annie or Jaden. She slammed her palm against Bastion's back with enough force to send the food flying out of his throat. "BREATHE I SAY!!!" Violet yelled dramatically.

Bastion hacked and coughed. "Thank you...darling..." His voice was raspy, so he took a sip of water that Alan gave him.

"Sip it slowly, Bastion," the older man cautioned.

"Bastion, are you all right? What happened??"

"I was thinking...of the last time our group had a picnic. Jaden and Violet had a contest to see who could balance the most silverware on whose face..." Bastion started to laugh again. "And then they balanced plates on their heads."

Violet grinned again. "I remember that! I was winning, too!! Until that stupid butterfly flew over...but at least I fell on Jaden!"

"And Jaden fell on Syrus," Bastion reminded her.

"And then there was the hill," Violet continued.

"And you three hit Dr. Crowler on the way down..."

"And Pharaoh...he wasn't too happy..."

"Oh, yes...he used Dr. Crowler as a scratching post," Bastion said, sweat-dropping.

"And we got detention for it. Even though it was an accident," Violet grumbled, pouting.

"Yes...Annie was furious...and Alexis...And Tyson...And Rosa...And I was...And Atticus...And Zane," Bastion groaned. "Annie suggested a...er...storming of the Bastille..."

"The Bastille?" Cherri asked.

"The detention room," the boy explained.

"Oh yeah! I remember that!! It didn't work out too well, though," replied Violet, sweat-dropping.

"No, it didn't...rather amusing, explaining it all to Chancellor Shepherd...and then we all got laundry detail..."

"Doing laundry...kind of glad Crowler gave us detention instead of that," Violet stated, grinning sheepishly.

"What did you do, anyway, Bastion?" asked Bobby curiously.

"Well...we all thought we could break into the detention room and get them out...Annie couldn't disable the camera in time..."

"Well, you guys had guts, I'll give you that much," he replied, smirking. "Mom, can we have cake now? Please??" asked Violet.

Barbara sighed. "I guess...is everyone done eating?"

Everyone was. "I wanna help with the candles!" Haylee begged.

"All right, all right. Just be careful," Barbara replied, and helped her youngest daughter to light all sixteen candles.

And then Barbara carried the cake to her daughter. Everyone sang the Happy Birthday song, and Bastion gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday, darling..."

Violet grinned and blew out the candles. 'I wish that nothing else bad happens to me or my friends this summer,' she thought.

"What'd you wish for?" Triana asked.

"You can't tell!" Cherri and Haylee exclaimed.

The birthday girl smiled. "Let's just say it's something that I hope will help our luck," Violet answered as the cake was passed out.

The cake, of course, was delicious. It was a chocolate ice cream cake, which Violet loved. "The bakery makes a pretty decent ice cream cake, huh, honey?" Alan asked.

Violet could only nod happily, mouth filled with half of her first piece already. "If there's one thing Vi has, it's good taste in food," stated Bobby.

"That she does," Bastion said. "I wonder if, once she's sufficiently recovered, she'll teach me how to cook well..."

Violet swallowed. "You could just ask, you know. Of course I'll teach you how to cook!"

"The time was never right, darling," Bastion said. "And I found out from Syrus yesterday we all might need to do some cooking to tempt Annie's taste buds..."

"Hmm?" Violet asked, mouth filled with the remainder of her slice.

"You know how she's saying she's fat?"

"Yeah..."

"She's losing a lot of weight, Syrus says...she hasn't felt much like eating and, well...she needs to gain now..."

"All right! I know a few things that should do the trick!!" Violet replied with a grin.

"What's she like?" Triana wondered, looking at the picture of the kids she'd helped design. "She's the one with the dark brown hair, right? And who's this?" she asked, pointing at Jaden.

"That's Jaden. He's a lot like me, but _way_ more obsessed with dueling. Annie's really nice, and kind of shy. She was the first friend I made at that school," Violet explained.

"And who's this, Violet-ani?" Cherri asked, pointing at a younger Syrus.

"That's Syrus, but we call him Sy a lot. He's shy like Annie and he's her fiancé. He has a brother named Zane...there," she continued, pointing.

"Gosh, he looks serious," Triana said.

"He's loosened up a bit," Bastion commented. "I wish he had before...oh, my..."

"Before what, Bastion-baby?" asked Violet curiously.

"Er...the incident where Dr. Crowler nearly passed out and Professor Bonaparte said what I think he said in French," Bastion said, blushing.

She smirked. "Ooh, when _**that**_ happened..."

"That?" Cherri wondered.

"We...er...reenacted a streaking scene," Bastion groaned.

Bobby spit out his soda in shock, causing Violet to laugh. "It was great! I even cheered them on!!"

"Tyson," Bastion explained, pointing to a picture of the dino-duelist, "had to apologize to Rosa...and he had just started dating her seriously..."

Violet pointed to Rosa's picture as well, then smirked. "And Alexis was so mad at Atty!" she added, pointing out the siblings.

"So...who's she with?" Triana asked.

"Jaden. And those are the four engaged couples."

Cherri was smiling. "You've got so many friends, Violet-ani! You think they'd like me and Triana too?"

Violet grinned. "I'm sure they would! They're really nice, nicer than my old classmates."

Triana sighed. "I had to switch schools, too..."

"Really??" Violet asked, surprised. Triana and Mike had been popular, compared to Violet and Cherri. Most of the guys had wanted to date the head cheerleader, and the girls loved the star basketball player. Even Cherri was too cute to be truly disliked.

"I got depressed after what happened, and then Mike disappeared...and the girls blamed me," Triana explained.

"Oh...were the kids at your new school friendlier?"

Triana smiled. "A bit...they kept me from...well...you know..." She pointed to her arms.

"That's good! Oh, and Cherri-ani, I never asked you how Canada was!!"

"It was okay...not much happened," Cherri answered, flushing slightly.

"Aw, c'mon! It had to be a little cool!! What about your new school?" Violet probed curiously, smiling.

"Well...I just did a lot of school work...and there was this one girl named Tomo and this other girl we called Osaka...Osaka had a funny accent..."

"Those sound like Japanese names..."

"Yeah...well, they were," Cherri looked puzzled. "They said I looked like a friend of theirs from their old school in British Columbia. Her name was Chiyo and we kind of looked the same. My hair's better, though, Violet-ani!"

"What a coincidence...at least you made some friends!"

"Yeah!" Cherri said. "But I'm glad to be back here with you!"

"I'm glad you came back, too, Cherri-ani!" Violet replied, hugging her happily.

The girls hugged and Haylee got into the hug, too. "YAY! HUGGIES!!"

"This has been the best birthday ever!!!"

Alan smiled. "Hey guys, should we go and lie down and look at the clouds?"

Everyone agreed, and they moved out of the shade to lie in the grass. "Hmm...oh! I see a bunny!!" shouted Violet.

"Hmmm...I see pom-poms!" Triana said lazily, looking up.

"I see...a chemistry set," Bastion added.

"Oh, a tricked out 2009 Escalade," Alan added.

"The Kool-Aid Man!" Haylee cheered.

"That dog I rode!" Cherri smiled.

"A heart!" Barbara smiled.

"The ocean!" Bobby cheered.

"Bobby, the sky's blue! It's a giant ocean!!" replied Violet.

"I see a boat there..." Bastion pointed upward at a cloud that looked like a sailboat.

"A seagull," Barbara added, also pointing at a cloud.

"Oh...a sea anemone!" Triana added.

"FISH!!!" exclaimed Violet happily.

They kept pointing out clouds for a time, and then Bastion felt pleasantly sleepy. And in what seemed like a short time later... "Bastion...wake up...we're getting ready to go," Alan was saying.

"I know what'll work!" Violet said, then placed her lips against his.

Bastion was half-asleep, and kissed back. "We're not out of the church yet, darling...let's save some for the honeymoon..."

She blushed, then frowned and pinched his nose shut so he'd wake up. "We aren't married yet, Bastion-baby!!"

That woke him up fast. "Oh...I was dreaming, wasn't I?" His face was fire-red.

Violet sighed. "Yeah. You were."

"It...was a good dream..."

"It'll be better when it really happens."

Bastion flushed, standing up. "Yeah...oh, bugger...of all the dreams to have right now..."

Violet giggled and kissed his cheek, turning to her friends. "Isn't he just adorable when he blushes??"

"Too cute!" Triana grinned.

"Bastion-ani is so kawaii!!!" Cherri added.

"He's one of the Hawaiian Islands?" Haylee asked.

Violet sweat-dropped. "Uh, no, Haylee. It's Japanese for 'cute'," she explained.

"Oh...it sounds the same, though...is that island cute?" Haylee asked.

"Uh...Bastion-baby, you can answer her," Violet said, sweat-dropping.

"Er...I haven't been there, actually...but it was the island that was in Lilo and Stitch..."

"Does that help answer your question, Haylee?"

"YAY! THE CUTE EVIL KOALA!!!" Haylee cheered, running around.

"Is that a yes?" Bastion asked.

"Uh...yeah," Alan said, stunned.

Violet and Bobby both grinned. "That's my sister!" they shouted happily.

Barbara sighed, picking up one of the baskets. "Sometimes I wonder where they get it from..."

"SUGAR!" Haylee whooped.

"Oh right, the cake," stated Violet, sweat-dropping. Bobby grinned sheepishly and placed a hand on Haylee's head to try and stop her, though she simply kept running in place.

Bastion cracked up. He couldn't help it. "Oh, my, this is wonderful!"

"This is my family," Violet corrected.

Bobby, noticing that his sister was creating a hole, promptly picked her up and started walking back to the car. "We seriously need to only give you sugar-free products..."

"Eww," Haylee groaned, remembering some nasty-tasting sugar-free products.

"Well, darling, when I marry you...it's our family," Bastion said softly.

"You have a point there. Well, perhaps we should help our family take these baskets back to the car," Violet smiled.

"Good point," Bastion said, hefting a basket. "And I can give you a piggyback ride if you'd like, my dear..."

"You sure you can do that and carry a basket at the same time??"

"They're quite a bit lighter, darling," Bastion pointed out, helping her onto his back and taking the basket.

"Wow....you're so tall that there's a great view up here, Bastion-baby!"

"Thank you, darling," Bastion answered. He got her and the basket to the car. He set the basket in the back of the car and then set Violet in her seat. "Comfortable, darling?"

"Yup! Thanks, Bastion-baby!!" she answered, kissing him.

He kissed back easily. "You're welcome, darling." Within a couple of minutes, the car was loaded and everyone was heading home.

"We'll drop you guys off at your houses and go home. Then, we'll go out and let you and Bastion have the night to yourselves. All right?" explained Barbara, smiling.

"Sounds good, Mom!" replied Violet.

Bastion smiled. "I'll be cooking your supper tonight, Violet...I have been trying to study..."

"Have you ever cooked before?" she asked curiously.

"Somewhat...I can grill..."

"That's only one type of cooking, Bastion-baby. They don't call it 'culinary **arts**' for nothing, you know. But then, I took a lot of cooking classes."

"Then I shall do my best, Violet...I won't overdo the meat...It probably won't be as good as Bobby Flay's but...I'll do my very best..."

"Hey, it'll be like when the girl cooks her first meal for her boyfriend. Just the other way around!" Violet stated as they pulled up to Cherri's house.

"Well, it was nice having lunch with you all. Thank you for inviting us," said Sakura politely.

"Bye, Violet-ani! Happy birthday, again!" Cherri added with enthusiasm.

"Bye, Cherri-ani! Thanks for coming to the picnic and for the present!!"she replied happily. Cherri threw her arms around Violet, happily but gently as well. Violet hugged her back, then waved goodbye when they drove away and headed towards Triana's house. Sakura waved back from their driveway.

Triana smiled. "I know this is your birthday, Violet, but...this is the best day I've had in a long time..."

"I'm glad to hear that, Triana. And I'm also glad that we're friends again."

"Me, too...Oh, wow! My parents are home!" Triana said, amazed. "They're not home until 6, usually!"

"They knew you were with us, right?" asked Violet.

"Yeah, they did! But...wow, this is great! I'm not coming home to an empty house!"

"Triana, does it get lonely with both of your parents working?"

Triana nodded. "Sometimes it does. I know they have to work, but still...Oh, well...oh, here they come!"

Triana's mother came up to the car as they opened the door. "Hi, honey, did you have fun?"

"Yeah, Mom, you remember Violet, right?"

Muriel Everett grinned. "Of course I do. How are you doing, Violet?"

"Hi, Muriel! I'm doing pretty good, besides some bad luck," she replied happily.

Then, Triana's father walked over to join his wife. "Oh, hello Violet. Long time no see," greeted Daniel Everett.

Alan grinned. "Hey, Daniel! How are you?"

"Doing good. Got a promotion at the factory so I'm an advisor now instead of on the assembly line," he replied, grinning.

"That's awesome! Looks like our girls are friends again...Triana told Violet, Cherri and Bastion what happened with her and Mike," he said softly.

Daniel placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "She told us about what recently happened with Violet and Mike as well. We're glad that you're all right, Violet."

Violet smiled. "Thanks, Daniel."

Muriel smiled too. "Yeah...Daniel wanted to hunt him down after what happened with Triana...We're glad he's behind bars..."

"Oh! This is Bastion, my fiancé. He kinda....helped with that," Violet explained and introduced.

"Do we want to know?" Muriel asked.

"Let's just say, Muriel, that we both ran afoul of some dust...er... trash bins," Bastion answered.

Daniel smiled. "We understand. Glad someone finally took out said trash."

Bastion nodded in acknowledgement. "The difference between us is that...well...I did better than he did…The dust bins didn't beat me..."

"That's good, 'cause dust bins are inanimate objects," Violet stated, smiling. Bastion couldn't help but snicker, thinking of a certain gang member who had the IQ of an inanimate object.

"Well, it was nice talking to you two again," stated Barbara, smiling.

"Well, maybe we can go out to coffee or dinner like we used to," Muriel offered.

"Oh, yeah!" Alan agreed.

"We'll give you a call tomorrow and talk about it, all right?"

"Okay...good seeing you!" the Everetts chorused.

"Honey, you're wearing a short-sleeved top!" Muriel said to her daughter, amazed.

"Yeah, Mom...I'm not hiding anymore," Triana answered, waving at her friends as they drove away.

And so the Haverbrooks and Bastion headed up the street to their house. "Do you have everything you need for tonight, Bastion?" Alan asked.

"Yes, Alan, thank you...I'll manage," Bastion said easily.

_And so Violet's birthday party ended without major catastrophe. Everyone lived and everyone is happy. So next time…Bastion is cooking dinner. Will his culinary skills take off or will he and Violet take off to the bathroom? You'll find out in "A Romantic Birthday Dinner!" So please read, review and stay tuned until next time! Thank you and stay safe out there if you're traveling. See you next time!_


	86. A Romantic Birthday Dinner

Chapter LXXXVI: A Romantic Birthday Dinner

_Hello, again, everyone, and a late happy Boxing Day to our British and Canadian readers, happy Hanukkah to our Jewish readers and happy Kwanzaa to our African-American readers! And to everyone, we hope you had a merry Christmas! Anyway, thanks for taking the time out from your holiday celebrations to read and review! We appreciate it. We'd like to mention that "Bastion-baby" is a pet name that Violet came up with for Bastion. Like many pet names, depending on your perspective, it might be annoying. But it needs to stay in, we're afraid. _

_Recap: Violet had her birthday at a South Royalton local park and she, her family, friends and Bastion played games, ate and had an encounter with a Great Dane named Scooby. So what happens next? Please read on!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. We just play in the Yugi-verse.**_

___Authors' note and warning: Mentions of Tigershipping, and not positively. Further, there is some making out, but nothing graphic. Also, Bastion, Thank you for your attention!_

Alan and Barbara had helped Bastion get the ingredients for the dinner the teen boy planned for a special birthday dinner for Violet. He'd gotten things marinating on the 18th and done some other prep work this morning, so everything would be ready for him to cook when they got home. So when the Haverbrooks reached the house, only Violet and Bastion got out of the car. "Well, just don't burn down the house while we're gone, all right?" asked Barbara.

"I'll be careful, Barbara. You have my word," Bastion said as he helped Violet from the car. "Darling, let's get your medication and when you wake up, I'll have most of the dinner cooked, all right?"

"All right. But if I smell smoke, I'm running to that kitchen, injuries or no injuries," she replied.

"I'm prepared," Bastion said as they went into the house. He got Violet her pain medication and muscle relaxers which made her fall asleep in her bed a few minutes after taking it. "All right, then, Bastion...let's cook," he told himself. "Steaks and salad are last, so let's get the grill started outside..."

Bastion went outside in the backyard and got the gas grill going. The grillwork had to be very hot when the steaks went on, so it would be a few minutes. He went inside and got a huge pot of water, adding a few cloves of garlic to the water and then pieces of potatoes. He was making a special sort of mashed potatoes with fresh herbs. Once the potatoes were done, he mashed them with butter, milk, garlic salt and pepper, plus some fresh herbs. Then he put the potatoes into a casserole dish, put some herbs and a cream sauce over the top of the potatoes and baked them in the oven until the cream topping was a golden brown. Then he made a Caesar salad, cut and buttered some nice bread and cooked two New York strip steaks.

The smell of food woke up a Haverbrook faster than the smell of coffee woke most people up. And Violet was no exception as the delightful aroma roused her from her dreams. "Mmm..."

Bastion set the table in the Haverbrooks' dining room and added candles to the table for the perfect romantic atmosphere. Then he got two champagne flutes and filled them with sparkling white grape juice. "There we are...now to get Violet..." He headed upstairs to get her and was surprised to see her awake. "Hello, darling...dinner's ready," he said, kissing her.

She grinned and sat up. "I knew something smelled good! Just the aroma is making me hungry!!"

"Oh, good...Shall we, then?" he asked, offering her his arm. It was 7 PM and the sun was moving down in the sky.

"Sure! Perfect timing, too!!" Violet replied, taking his arm. They walked downstairs and to the kitchen, where the sunset could be seen from the large windows overlooking the pool. It was very romantic.

He walked her into the dining room and sat her down in one chair and sat across from her. "Dinner is served, darling. I hope it meets with your approval..." He was very nervous.

Her eyes lit-up upon sight of the meal, which looked like something one might order in a first-class restaurant. "Oh, Bastion-baby, it looks delicious!" Violet stated, grabbing some bread.

Bastion smiled. "You go for the bread first, huh? You always go for one food first, don't you?"

"Yup. It drives Mom and Dad crazy since I take so long. But I don't like mixing foods that often," Violet explained, taking a bite. And then she grinned. "Oh, wow! It tastes like something you'd get at a restaurant!"

"Well...I wasn't up to making my own bread yet, so I went to the bakery and bought some of their artisan bread..."

"Well, it's still really good!" Violet replied before trying the salad. "Mmm...what's in this?"

"Just Romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing," Bastion admitted, flushing slightly. "I went for simple."

"Well, it still tastes yummy! If the steak and potatoes are as good as the bread and salad, then I'm gonna have to have Cherri-ani do a background check and see if you've taken cooking lessons and aren't telling me!" she joked, eating some of the potatoes.

Bastion took a bite of his own potatoes. "Well...you really think it's that good?"

Violet had just tried the main dish, the steak, and stars could almost be seen in her eyes. "Yeah! Everything's delicious!! Like something you'd get at a five-star restaurant!" she explained happily.

"Really?" Bastion was shocked. "I'm...pleased it measured up, darling...I was so afraid it wouldn't..."

"Bastion, even if it had been a burnt, tasteless mess, I'd still love it. I'd love it 'cause you made it out of love," she replied, leaning over the table to kiss him.

"Well...knowing that my future wife wants to be a pro duelist and a gourmet chef...I'd rather serve her something that is not a burnt and tasteless mess," he answered, blushing. And then he kissed her back, smiling.

"Hm…you know, speaking of being a gourmet chef...I was wondering if you'd be interested in something..."

Bastion looked into her green eyes. "Of course, darling. What is it?"

"Well...what if we became a gourmet chef duo?! We could open our own restaurant and be the best chefs in the world! No one's ever tried it before, and we'd be the first!!" Violet explained excitedly, sounding like a certain Atticus Rhodes and his "sibling singing duet" theory.

Bastion smiled, flushing. "That actually sounds very nice. I'd have to train a bit first...I'd need to measure up and be more than someone who grills the meat. If I cook, I'd like to be able to make main meals as well as...desserts..."

"Really? That's great! We have a whole year until we graduate, I can teach you after classes!!"

"I'd be honored to learn from you, darling...in a few years, we could open a place in Las Vegas and I could also double as our accountant." He gave her a small smile. "Cooking is a form of chemistry..."

"Cooking is also an art, Bastion-baby," she reminded him, grinning.

"I know...Perhaps we could have a show on Food Network, as well..."

"Bastion-baby...that'd be amazing," Violet sighed dreamily.

"I'm no Bobby Flay or Chef Morimoto, but...I'm more than willing to learn how to be like them."

"You don't need to be like them. All you need to do is know how to cook! They're famous because they infused the food with their own ideas and creativity!! That's why I love cooking..."

Bastion looked at Violet seriously. "Do you...think I have a creative side?" He seemed a little apprehensive at this. "I mean...I'm not terribly good at art..."

Violet thought for a few moments. "Well, Bastion, did you copy those formulas of yours from something else? Or make them up on your own??"

"I made them up on my own, of course," he admitted. "I had to figure out some things..." He wasn't sure he understood what she was getting at.

"Well, then you have creativity. If you couldn't make something up on your own, then you'd have no imagination."

Bastion's eyes suddenly flashed with excitement. "Violet, darling...could I sketch something out for you? If you wouldn't mind...I want to do what you'd like for your birthday."

Violet blinked in surprise, her curiosity taking over. "Uh, sure."

Bastion went and got a piece of paper and a pencil. "This is an idea for...a cake." He sketched out a three-tiered cake with what looked like a fan behind it. "The fan would be made of...I'd love to see it started with sugar glass...what do you think?"

"Oh, wow...Bastion, it's wonderful! I don't know why you said you weren't good at art..."

"I have these images in my head and yet...I never can seem to make them reality," he admitted.

"What kind of images?" she asked.

"Well...er...some are with food...others...well...you remember the night at the Kaibas when you were in that lovely gown, don't you?"

"Yeah...."

"I'd had an image of us dancing across a ballroom floor...I always thought you'd look breathtaking in a gown..."

Violet blushed. "You didn't look too bad yourself in that tux..."

"I just don't have the talent to paint you like that," he concluded.

"Have you ever tried?"

"Several times...you'll probably laugh...but our first year...I tried sketching you and painting you. If I were drawing in the style of Pablo Picasso, it would be acceptable. But I wanted lovely realism..."

Violet's blush reappeared with twice as much force, reacting to something he'd said. "Uh...Bastion-baby? Could I...show you something??" she asked nervously.

Bastion noticed her look and her apprehension. "Darling, never be afraid to show me anything," he answered, taking her hand and looking into her green eyes tenderly.

"Right." Violet stood and went to the stairs, slowly making her way up them to save and regain her energy. She then went to her room and pulled a sketchbook from her desk drawer, heading back down the stairs. By the time she made it back to her chair, she was a little winded as she handed him the sketchbook.

Bastion gently took the sketchbook and was taken aback. "Oh my...Violet...oh, my love..." There was a sketch of him looking out at the ocean, another of him dueling Chazz and another of him dueling Jaden. And then there was one of him looking far away. And then he noticed the date on the picture of him looking at the ocean. "This is after Taniya, isn't it?" he asked, remembering how he'd felt.

Violet nodded. "I...used to sketch you every now and then. After that one...I realized how sad you looked...and so I talked to you..."she explained, remembering it clearly.

--Flashback— Bastion stared out at the ocean, sitting on a branch in Jaden's tree. "How could I have been so stupid? Taniya didn't love me...not really...I'm a bloody idiot..." He was in pain and frustrated. And nothing at this moment could dissuade him that he had been a fool.

Down in a bush, Violet's pencil came to a halt, a frown clear on her features as she scanned her crush. He'd been upset ever since that last duel, when he'd lost. She remembered worrying about him all night while he was locked inside the arena, only to find him depressed once he was released. 'I have to talk some sense into him...I can't stand this anymore,' she thought. She let out a sigh and stood, hiding her sketchbook in the bushes before walking out of her cover. "Hey! Bastion!!" she called, waving as she walked.

Bastion looked down at her. "Oh...hello, Violet...How are you today?" he asked, managing a small smile.

Violet stopped beside the tree, looking up at him with a "nice try" expression on her face. "_I'm_ fine, Bastion. But what about you?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"Can't hide it very well, can I?" he muttered.

"Nope," she replied. Violet nimbly climbed up to a branch beside his own, about three feet of air separating them. "Bastion, what's going on? You've been like this for days..."

"I'm a complete idiot, Violet...I let my...I don't know what...get in the way of dueling at my best...and made an idiot of myself," he sighed, swinging his legs. "What was I thinking, anyway? I wasn't thinking..."

"All right, first of all, you are _not_ an idiot. You're the smartest person I know! As for what you were thinking, well..." Violet thought for a few moments, then snapped her fingers. "You weren't thinking! That evil tiger-lady-thing distracted you like she would anyone else!!"

"Anyone else? Jaden? Syrus? Chumley? Zane? None of them were distracted by her," Bastion sighed again. "I was the only one stupid enough to be distracted by her. I lost the duel because something other than logic was in play..."

"Er..." She placed a hand to her chin, trying to think of something. "Well, again, you are _not_ stupid! And just because logic is your forte, that doesn't mean it's your only skill!!"

Bastion moved to gesture forcefully. "Violet, I...WHOA!" He promptly fell off the branch and out of the tree. "Oh, bloody...what next?"

Violet blinked in surprise, and swung both legs over one side of the branch. "You okay, Bastion? Nothing broken??"

Bastion looked up. And saw beneath Violet's skirt. "Er," he began. Somehow the answer, "Nothing except my brain right now," didn't seem to be the right answer. "I'm...fine," he managed finally.

She tilted her head in slight confusion, then shrugged and dropped down to land in front of him. "Well, anyway, you were saying?" The thought of him having a chance to look up her skirt hadn't even crossed Violet's mind.

He struggled to his feet and sternly reminded himself that Violet was a female friend and not someone to be ogled. "Well...logic has always been my best skill. And yet...it seems to be failing me...Violet...I feel like I can't tell this to anyone..."

"And why do you think that?" Violet asked, leaning against the trunk of the tree.

"Well...how would it look? Do you see Jaden doing a great deal of introspection because he lost a duel to Zane? Does anyone do a great deal of introspection around her when they lose duels and go calculating over what they lost?" he asked, frustration creeping into his voice, but directed at himself, not Violet, as she clearly understood.

Violet blinked. Her mind wandered to wondering what "interspuction" could possibly mean, before snapping back to reality. "Uh....no? But Bastion, _why_ are you doing a 'great deal of introspection,' anyway?? It was one duel, one loss. You can't always win, and when you don't that's no reason to get obsessed over it..."

"I always think over my wins and my losses. I'm an introvert by nature and I look within for my own solutions. And in this particular duel...I had no logical reason for losing. Jaden...I logically lost there because I didn't think of other skills he had. This duel should've been mine...So what bloody went wrong?"

Violet thought about it, eyes closed. "Well...maybe that's just it," she replied simply.

"What do you mean, Violet? I don't understand," he said, meeting her eyes.

She opened one so that their eyes locked. "I mean, maybe you were just too overconfident. You figured you'd win so easily that you didn't pay as much attention as you usually do."

"She distracted me...The fellows and I had been talking about something...I thought it rather immature..."

"About what?"

"Card crushes," Bastion muttered, shamefacedly.

Violet blinked, then grinned, and finally started cracking up. She couldn't help it; it was just so simple it was funny. "Is _that_ what all this is about??"

"Er...this is humorous?" Bastion looked bewildered.

She coughed, clearing her throat as she finally made herself stop giggling. "Sorry, sorry. It's just...a card crush? That's nothing to be ashamed about! It's like having a crush on a character from a book or a movie star."

"It's not supposed to happen to me," he sighed.

"And why not?"

"The cards aren't...like real people," Bastion sighed. "I know better..."

Violet straightened, looking at him with concern. "Bastion, everyone can be attracted to someone that's not real. It mostly happens because the person is afraid that they'll never be able to find someone real," she explained, placing a hand on his arm.

"Perhaps," Bastion admitted. "I just felt so foolish, you know..."

"Well, don't be. It's perfectly normal and none of us think of you any less for it. In fact, we've been worried about you..." She frowned, wishing she could tell him how much she worried for him.

"Annie mentioned yesterday...she came over to see if I wanted to watch Deep Space Nine with her," Bastion sighed again. "She said everyone has been talking..."

"So that's where she went," Violet muttered, then shook her head. "Anyway, feel better now?" she asked hopefully.

"Well...actually, I feel better talking with you, Violet. I think you're the best female friend I have on campus or anywhere for that matter..."

Violet grinned broadly, while on the inside her heart did butterfly leaps. "Aw, thanks, Bastion! I've always considered you to be one of my closest friends, too!!" she replied, slapping him on the back a little too hard.

"Whoa!" he yelped, falling forward onto the ground. "I'm all right!" he said into the ground.

Violet blinked, then sweat-dropped. "Uh, sorry, Bastion. I tend to do that a lot," she stated, reaching down, grabbing the back of his blazer and heaving him up onto his feet. "Wow, you're a lot lighter than you look...either that or I'm stronger than I thought."

"I think you're rather strong, Violet," the teen boy concluded. "And please don't worry...remember that I do hang around with Jaden Yuki..." --End Flashback—

Bastion smiled. "You helped me more than you possibly knew that day...and I must apologize for something, love..."

"Oh? For what, Bastion-baby??" Violet asked, tilting her head the same way she had that very day.

"I...er...accidentally looked up your skirt..."

She blinked in surprise. "You...did? When??"

"After I fell out of the tree. It was an accident..."

"Oh...I had no idea. Well, it was an accident, right? You didn't do it on purpose..."

"No, I didn't...remember our first yoga session?" he asked, with a quirky smile and tilted eyebrows.

Violet blushed a little at the memory, and wondered at his expression. "Yeah..."

"I was wondering if you seeing me as I was dressed makes it fair that I accidentally looked up your skirt..."

Her blushed intensified at his words, face burning. "Uh, er, well, um...sure?"

Bastion looked down at their plates. "Oh...are we done?"

"Looks empty to me," Violet answered softly.

He put his arm around her. "Violet...er..." He wanted to kiss her, but he was suddenly nervous.

"Yes?" she asked, smiling cutely.

"I'd...rather like to kiss you right now..."

"Well, go ahead. We've kissed before...you don't have to ask." He did and deepened it a little. He wondered what she would do next. Unbeknownst to either of them, the meal had acted as an aphrodisiac, and intensified their passionate emotions. This made Violet more adventurous than usual, and she decided to try something. She hesitantly opened her mouth a little, placing a tentative tongue against his lips. Bastion, for his part, had never had a young woman come remotely close to doing this, so he parted his lips and let her take the lead, reminding himself that breathing through his nose was a good idea. She blushed a little when he allowed her entrance, and their tongues met for the very first time. Violet's blush intensified, as she felt a satisfying chill run through her. Bastion shivered and put his arms around her, pressing her to him. Violet took the hint, and wrapped her arms around his neck. There was now only a few inches separating them as they continued to experiment with this new feeling. Bastion could feel his thoughts going pleasantly muzzy. And then he realized he needed to breathe so he pulled back.

Violet had completely forgotten about the body's need for oxygen, and was glad that Bastion had pulled away. She was entirely breathless, and could only rest her head on his shoulder blissfully.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly.

Violet let out a sigh, most of her breath regained. "Yeah...Bastion-baby, that was...it...wow..."

"Yes...wow," he whispered. "Perhaps we should clean up and then...get ready for bed?"

"Okay, sounds good," she mumbled as they heard a car pull into the driveway.

They got the plates and things into the dishwasher just as Alan, carrying a sleeping Haylee, Barbara and Bobby came into the house. "Ah...you even cleaned up, kids. Very nice," Alan whispered.

"And you didn't burn down the house, either," added Barbara, smiling.

Violet giggled. "Nope. Everything's still intact, Mom."

"Thank for allowing me to do this for Violet," Bastion said. "And Barbara, thanks for helping me obtain the Merlot for the steak marinade..."

"Oh, think nothing of it, Bastion. Was he a good cook, Violet?" she asked.

"Yup. It was great, Mom."

"We're going to put Haylee to bed, kids," Alan said softly. "She's all tired... Just keep it quiet...Including you, Robert," he said firmly to his son.

Bobby frowned at the use of his full name. "Dad, don't call me that. I'll be quiet," he grumbled, heading upstairs. Violet snickered a little as she and Bastion went up last. They went and brushed their teeth, and then returned to Violet's bedroom and got their pajamas on. Again, Bastion found himself putting his arm around Violet. She glanced at him, then pressed her lips against his. Violet decided to let him try his hand at taking the lead this time. Bastion pressed his lips against hers and then opened his lips, moving his tongue a bit to see what she did. Violet opened her own lips, allowing Bastion's tongue to invade her mouth.

The teen boy moved slowly and pulled his arms around her, this time moving his hands up and down her back. Violet shivered, a quiet moan escaping from her mouth. She blushed, the reaction having been unexpected. Bastion, too, moaned softly. He kept up the gentle rubbing, but wasn't entirely sure what to do next. Violet placed her injured arm around his neck, while her good one reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair. He moved again, deepening the kiss and rubbing a little bit harder. And then he pulled back. "Violet..."

She blinked, a little dazed from what had just happened. "Y-Yeah??"

"Where were we going with what just happened?" He too seemed stunned.

Violet allowed her mind a few moments to recover, eyes widening a little. "I...I think we were...close to...you know," she mumbled, blushing.

"Were we?" he wondered.

"I-It seemed like it..."

"Perhaps we were...I wouldn't know...Until you...I never kissed anyone, let alone...was that making out?" He was pretty innocent in many respects, despite the incident with Taniya. She hadn't been interested in anything but dueling.

"I...think so..." Violet may have had a boyfriend and gotten to the kissing stage, but Mike and herself had never truly made out.

"I've read some things and apparently to get to...other relations...we'd need to get a little more physical..."

"I'm not sure we could get any more physical without, um," she blushed.

"Like I said, I only know what I've read...and I think it's wise if we talk about drawing lines..."

They talked for a little bit defining their boundaries. Finally... "Darling, I'm glad we talked. And we know we're prepared, aren't we?" he asked.

"Yeah. Until the right time, we can stop ourselves if we need to," she replied, smiling a little.

"Yeah...no sense in wrecking something so special," Bastion answered, smiling back.

Violet yawned then, rubbing at her eyes. "Oh...it's gotten late," she mumbled.

Bastion looked at the clock. "Oh, yeah...perhaps we should get to sleep...You definitely need rest."

"Right...sleep," Violet muttered, eyes half-closed.

Bastion held her gently, feeling sleep coming to overtake him. He got her comfortable and made himself comfortable as well. "Happy sweet sixteen, love," he whispered as they began to drift.

"I love you...Bastion," she yawned in reply.

"I love you so much, darling," he murmured back, falling asleep.

_So Bastion and Violet had their first true make-out session and nothing really happened, but a discussion of mutual lines drawn. It was quite a way to end Violet's sixteenth birthday, particularly after she might not have had a sixteenth birthday. Instead, she is looking forward to a very long and happy life. Well, next time, we're moving ahead and moving back to Seattle. It is nearing the end of summer and the gang will be heading back to school. So please read, review and tune in next time for "Leaving Home." Thank you!_


	87. Leaving Home

Chapter LXXXVII: Leaving Home

_Hello again, dear readers! We hope you have had a lot of fun and thank you for taking time to read and review on your winter breaks! Those of you who are still covered in snow, we hope you're able to dig out soon. Anyway, thanks again and onto the first of the last three chapters in this tale. Yes, we are in the home stretch, folks!_

_So, to recap, the last three chapters, we celebrated Violet's sweet 16. And now, we move to the end of the summer and we'll spend some time in Seattle. So please read on._

_**Disclaimer: In addition to the list of things we don't own, we don't own any ice cream franchises. We wish we did.**_

The days rolled by and the month of July faded into August. In Spain, Tyson Hassleberry got even more tanned than he usually did and learned more about Rosa's family. Toward the end of August he and his fiancée returned to Texas for a week with his parents before the next school year would start. The Yukis and Rhodes family did back to school shopping as did the other groups. Zane and Syrus Truesdale, meanwhile, spent their summer up with Annie Hanson. Since her most recent serious attack, Annie had become quiet and begun to lose weight. Not because she had to, but because her appetite had waned. The Hansons and the Truesdale boys watched as the young girl dropped a lot of weight, going from a healthy weight to dangerously underweight. And then the day came that Annie, Sy and Zane would head back to Domino together.

Syrus had been trying for the past few minutes to get his suitcase closed, with no success. "Unpacking is so much easier than packing..."

Annie had most of her stuff packed, except for the uniforms that her mother was having taken in at a local tailor's shop. "Here, I can sit on that while you snap it closed," she said, sitting on top of the suitcase.

"Thanks, Annie," he replied as he snapped the locks closed. Syrus then helped her up off the suitcase.

Annie sat down on her bed. "This is the first time I've ever had uniforms taken in...I was wrong," she sighed.

Syrus sat beside her, taking one of her hands into his. "It's okay, Annie. We all make mistakes...what matters is that we learn from them, right?"

"Yeah...those kids that teased me...if they could see me now...Now I'm too thin..."

"Those kinds of kids tease everyone though, Annie. And no one's perfect, not even them," he replied, trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah," Annie smiled and sighed tiredly. "I'm glad we're packed...we can just sit for a while..."

"Soon we'll be able to see everyone again. We'll sure have a lot to talk about..."

Annie nodded. She lay down on her well-made bed and had Sy lay beside her. "Sy?"

"Yeah, Annie?"

"I want to tell you something..."

"What is it??" he asked, looking at her.

"This has been the best summer of my life..."

Syrus smiled. "Mine, too, Annie...everything's the best when I'm with you..."

"Even the bad stuff?"

"It's easier to get through it with you by my side..."

"Aww...Sy, if you hadn't been here, I wouldn't have made it this long..."

He smiled a little, and hugged her. "I know I'd be lost without you...so we need each other..."

Annie sighed. "You wouldn't be lost..."

"Maybe not before...but now I don't know what I'd do without you..."

Annie was worried now at his words. But she forced the worry, as she had been doing for the past few weeks, down. "Sy...I love you so much," she managed, hugging him close.

"I love you, too, Annie. I always will," he replied happily.

Her hand was in his and she felt the ring on her finger as he touched her hand. And then she remembered something. "OH! Sy, could you get my jewelry box?"

Syrus blinked in surprise. "Oh, okay, sure," he answered, getting up. He went to the box on her dresser and brought it back over to the bed.

She opened up the box and pulled out a ring made for a man. "I found this at a flea market when I was ten and I saved it. It's really old...The person who sold it to me said it was two hundred years old. He said it was a lucky ring. And I decided if I ever found the right young man, I'd give it to him. I wasn't sure when to give it to you, so I guess I put it in the back of my mind." It was a simple gold band and she placed it on his finger. It fit perfectly. Syrus smiled, the sunlight pouring in from the window making their rings shine silver and gold. He took her hand again, leaning over to place his lips against hers in a joyful kiss. Annie relaxed into the kiss, smiling. And when they broke apart, she asked, "You like it?"

"I love it, Annie! It's perfect...silver and gold," Syrus replied happily.

"Yeah...I can't believe the summer's almost gone," she said as she lay back down on her bed.

"Just a few more weeks...then it's back to school. Tests, homework, dueling...you think someone else will attack the school?" he asked, falling onto his back beside her.

"I hope not...and I know whatever happens, you're there so we can keep each other safe..."

"Yeah. As long as we're together, we'll be okay..."

Annie moved so she was resting her head against his chest, hearing the beat of his strong heart. "You think you'll end up promoted again?"

"Maybe...I did pretty good last year in duels and regular grades," he smiled. "If I am, then we'll be closer."

Annie smiled, remembering how they'd met. "Yeah...I don't have to go all spy to get to your dorm...Remember that?" She giggled, remembering her oh-so-graceful landing in an Obelisk dorm shrub their first year.

Syrus chuckled. "Yeah, I remember. We'll be right next to each other if I get into Obelisk."

"Yeah...I know you will...but..."

"But?" he asked, looking at her.

"You won't be totally happy," she said.

"What do you mean, Annie?" Syrus was confused at her words.

"You need to be close to Jaden and the guys...and they need you..."

He understood then, and turned his gaze to the ceiling. "Maybe...but, if anything happens, I'll go back to Ra Yellow. I mean, if you wouldn't mind...we'd be farther away again..."

"Sy," Annie began, then paused, choosing her words. "I've kind of liked our sneaking around...and heck...Doctor Crowler doesn't mind now..."

"I guess you have a point. Well, since you don't mind, then that's what I'll do. If I am promoted and anything happens, I'll go back to Ra..."

"Okay...I have to admit something, though," she said, getting a semi-naughty look on her face.

He caught the look and grinned. "Oh? And what's that??"

"I liked your looks best in the Slifer Red jacket..."

Syrus blushed a little, not expecting that. "Well, uh, I don't think I'd drop that far...sorry. But, if I could, I'd wear that blazer every day just to make you happy."

"I didn't mean...that came out wrong, didn't it?" she asked, blushing.

He moved to kiss her cheek, smiling. "No, it's okay..."

"I just think red is a wonderful color on you," she commented. "And it's no reflection on your dueling...I mean, look at Jaden...he's a permanent Slifer."

"And look at Mindy and Jasmine, they can't duel all that well but they're in Obelisk." Syrus added, smirking.

"Yeah...They duel okay but if they were boys...Jasmine would be in Ra and Mindy...she'd be in Slifer because she has to be, not because she chooses to be."

"Not all of the girls are bad, though. You guys all duel really well. I mean, you beat Zane and Violet tied with Jay!"

"Just remember that Jaden kicked my butt..."

"Maybe, but Jay's beaten a lot of people...he's only been defeated a few times..."

"Sy...I think he threw those duels with Zane..." Annie had had her suspicions and she had figured out the why of the matter.

Syrus blinked in surprise. "What? But why would he do that, Annie??"

"He didn't want you to feel torn..."

Sy frowned at her words, thinking about this new development. 'Maybe...was I?' he wondered.

"Jaden may have thought so...You felt like Jaden was the brother that understood and accepted you when you two met, right?"

"Yeah..."

"But Zane's the brother that was there when you were born...And even if he wasn't perfect, he was still your brother, better or worse." Annie propped herself up a bit and met Sy's sweet gray eyes. "And Jaden, I think, didn't want to make you feel like you were choosing one brother over the other."

"I guess you're right...I didn't know who to cheer on during their duels," he mumbled, frowning.

"Like I said...he didn't want you to feel torn. He knew you sort of did feel that way already." She lay back down again.

Syrus smiled a little. "Yeah...thanks, Annie..."

"I'm sorry if I made you feel torn," she murmured.

"Well, don't worry, Annie. Everyone feels torn when their friends duel. Didn't you when Violet and Jay were?"

"A little bit...I was so glad they tied and that the fate of the world wasn't at stake..."

"If only all duels could be like that, just for fun. I don't understand why all of this bad stuff with them has to happen..."

"I think you mean why does it seem to happen to us?"

"Yeah...that's another thing. Why us?"

Annie sighed. "That's one of those questions I'm saving up to ask God directly."

"I'm going to ask Him why it's always dueling, too. I mean...you never have to save the world with a chess game or Go Fish..."

"Or strip poker..."

Syrus couldn't help but crack up, imagining the good guys and an evil villain playing strip poker for the fate of the world. "I'm kind of glad that's not one of them..."

Annie giggled like mad. "That would've made things interesting when you guys were fighting the Shadow Riders...ew..."

He shivered at the thought. "It would have been very distracting, too..."

"Yeah...very..."

"Strip poker?" Zane asked, poking his head into the room. "Do I want to know?" He'd been walking down the hall when Sy and Annie had started talking about the school year and heard all they'd said.

Syrus was so surprised that he jumped, nearly falling off the bed. "Oh, uh, Zane! It's nothing bad, really!!" he replied, blushing.

"I heard everything, you two...So you think, Annie, that Jaden really threw his duels with me?" he asked.

Annie nodded. "It just makes a lot of sense. He probably wouldn't admit to it, Zane, or...he might not know he's doing it."

"Sy, do you think she's right?" the older boy asked, coming in and sitting down on the edge of Annie's bed.

Sy glanced at his brother before answering. "Yeah...I did have some trouble just deciding who to cheer for, Zane. You're both my brothers..."

Zane regarded his brother for a moment. "I'm glad to hear that...I think...he's a good one, too...and Mom said you should've had a twin..."

"Really? She did??" Sy asked, surprised.

"Yeah...especially once I got so busy with dueling and Alexis and Atticus couldn't play with us as much. She said you always would've had somebody to play with. She was really happy when you wrote home about Jaden your first year." Zane got a grin on his face. "And she was thrilled when you mentioned a girl..." Annie blushed.

Syrus blushed as well. "Oh, uh," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

The couple sat up and Zane pulled them each into a hug. "There's one other thing. I'm not going back to the Pros until you two are at school and safe. If anything else happens, I need to be with you..."

Sy blinked. "Really? Thanks, Zane...hopefully nothing will happen..."

"Yeah...I hope nothing happens, too, but we need to be on guard," the big brother commented.

"Yeah...knowing us, the school will be invaded by aliens...Violet will love that," Annie commented.

"Well, she can handle them alone. I don't want to risk getting abducted or something," Syrus replied, sweat-dropping.

"If it's Star Trek aliens...we could figure out how to communicate," Annie offered.

"What if they were like Jaden or Violet's alien monsters? Maybe the ones with duel spirits could talk to them," Sy suggested.

"Yeah...oh, if they were Transformers, your guys could talk to them, Sy!" Annie said, giving him an admiring and loving look.

He blushed, grinning sheepishly. "But, I've never talked to my monsters before..."

"Have you ever tried?" Zane asked curiously.

"Uh, well, no. I didn't even know you could until I met Jay...and then I didn't understand until just this year..."

Annie and Zane looked at Sy. "Try talking to your monsters, Sy," Annie said.

"If it helps, I'm friends with my Cyber Dragons," Zane offered.

"You...are? Do they, uh, talk back??" Sy asked.

Zane nodded. "They do...they tell me things in duels..."

"Well, okay..." Syrus stood and went to his carry-on bag, pulling out his deck. He slipped out one of his favorite 'roids, Gyroid, and fingered the card nervously. "Uh, hi, Gyroid. Can you...hear me?"

Annie and Zane watched as the creature appeared. "Hello, Syrus," the helicopter-like monster said. "I'm glad you decided to talk to us finally..."

The blue-headed teen gasped in shock and fell back on his butt, staring up at the spirit with wide eyes. "Y-You're really there...and talking to me..."

"Of course I am, silly! We're all your friends! "

"Hi, Gyroid!" Annie greeted.

"Hi, Annie!" the monster said cheerfully in a high-pitched mechanical cartoon voice.

Syrus shakily got to his feet, for the first time seeing a duel spirit fully. "I just...never knew that you could. I'm a little...well, surprised, I guess..."

And then another monster appeared. "Hello, Syrus," Vehicroid Stealth Union said in a calm voice.

"Wow...you look like Starscream, but you sound like Optimus Prime," Annie said.

Sy's eyes widened again when he saw one of his most powerful monsters come to life. "Wow...so, then, I can talk to all of you?"

"Of course," Vehicroid said easily. "We're your monsters, Syrus and we hope, your friends. We also talk with your friends' monsters. You should hear what Avian says to us sometimes..."

"O-Of course you're my friends! You guys have helped me a lot...so, then, you've talked to the other monsters? Everyone's??"

"Yeah, we all chat with each other. We may have to meet in battle, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends. When you were younger, I had long chats with Cyber-End Dragon..."

"You did?" Zane asked.

"You bet," Vehicroid grinned.

"Uh, did you talk with Cyber-End Dragon when Zane was really down this year?" Syrus asked, still stunned.

"We all did...And Cyber-End...well...he can tell you..."

Annie looked at Zane. "Do you want him to?"

Zane nodded. "Go ahead, Cyber-End..."

"Boy, if my mom could see duel spirits, we would so be in trouble," Annie commented as Cyber-End made its appearance.

"Greetings, everyone. It's good to finally speak with you, Syrus." The cyber-dragon's voice was mechanical, but held a hint of experience and wisdom.

"Uh, hi, Cyber-End Dragon," greeted Syrus, waving a little.

Zane smiled. "Hey, Cyber End. Thanks...You can tell my brother what you told Vehicroid, okay?" Annie was sitting stunned and quiet for the moment.

"Very well. Myself and the other cyber monsters all noticed our master's strange change in behavior after his loss. We tried cheering him up, but nothing seemed to work. We were truly worried when he got mixed up in that underground duel," began the duel monster. "We were proud of him when he resisted the temptation of power, but soon realized he was still confused with dark energy. Once again we tried to lift his spirits, to no avail. We all saw how you and your friends helped him, Syrus. And we are all very grateful," it finished.

Syrus blushed a little. "Uh, you're welcome..."

Annie flushed too. "We were glad to help. Duel spirits can't do it all alone..."

"Duel monsters or spirits are only as strong as the duelist who wields them," replied Cyber-End wisely.

Annie nodded. Zane looked at his treasured monster. "I'm not as wise as you..."

The cyber dragon shook its head. "It takes years of experience to become truly wise, Zane. You all will discover that in the future."

"Good thing I have a future now...I keep thinking that if I hadn't turned back when I did..." Zane didn't complete the thought.

Syrus went over and hugged his brother. "But you didn't. That's all that matters..."

"Yeah," Zane said as the monsters faded away. "I'm glad I'm still here and not...I don't know...dressed in black and acting all big and bad..."

"You'd look good in black, Zane, but if you were mean...we'd have a problem," Annie commented.

"Maybe you could have a black-based outfit when you go back to the Pro Leagues. You know, a new look?" Sy offered.

"Hmmm...I guess I could change the look. I mean...I'm not a student at Duel Academy anymore. What do you think, Annie?"

She nodded. "I think you could pull it off..."

"Kids?" Kathy Hanson called. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, Mom," Annie answered and her mom came in with the newly altered uniforms.

"Honey, I hope you only have to wear these for a little bit...you heard what Dr. Yang said..."

"I know...I need to gain weight, Mom..."

"Your BMI says you're underweight and...You're just skin and bones, sweetheart..."

"I know..."

Zane got up. "I'll go finish up packing in my room, Kathy." He headed back to his room to give the three some privacy.

"You kids all right?" Kathy asked as she put Annie's uniforms in a suitcase. Annie nodded. Kathy looked at Sy. "Sy? You okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. When does our plane leave again?" he asked, grinning sheepishly.

Kathy looked at the clock. "Three hours...We'll leave for the airport in 20 minutes so do what you need to do to be ready, all right?"

"All right. I'm all packed. You are, too, right Annie?" Syrus replied, placing his deck back in his carry-on bag.

Annie nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. Just need to brush my hair and stuff." Annie's hair, while nowhere near as long as it had been before Slade and Jagger's goons had attacked, was now in cute curls close around her head. She headed into the bathroom and was out in five minutes. "Okay, Sy, all yours," she said.

"Thanks, Annie." He personally loved her new look, though his own hadn't changed much. Syrus had simply changed and fixed his hair with some gel, going back to Annie's room. "All right, I'm done..." Annie was sitting on the floor next to her bed, knees drawn up under her chin. She had a faraway, dreamy look on her face. Syrus blinked in surprise. "Annie?" he stated, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey...Sy, you ever get the feeling you'll never see a place again?" she asked softly, sounding far away as well. "Like it's the last time you'll be there?"

"Uh, no; why do you ask?" He replied, sitting beside her on the floor.

"I just...have this feeling...like I'm not going to see my room again..."

Syrus understood what she was thinking, and quickly pulled her into a hug. "Annie, don't say things like that..."

"Sy...I just...have that feeling..." She lost the dreamy look in her eyes and looked at him, her eyes tearing up. "I feel like...I won't be..." Her voice shook. "Sy...I can't fight it anymore..." she whimpered, holding onto him like a life preserver.

He hugged her tighter, sadness growing when he could feel her bones. "Annie...you have to keep trying. I...don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Please don't give up...we can get through this. Together...just like I promised..."

"Sy...I'm just so tired...I'm tired of being sick..." She held on. "I'm trying as hard as I can..."

"I know it's hard, Annie. But we can get through this...just don't give up. If you do...then we'll never get through it..."

Annie just cried hard in his arms. Zane heard Annie's sobbing. "Guys? What's going on?"

Syrus held her, tears close to brimming his own eyes. "Big brother...Annie's afraid that she...that she'll..."

Zane sighed. "Annie...don't do this to yourself. You know what the doctors said..."

"Yeah...I may be okay...and then there's that but...but I may have another bad attack that makes me weaker. I'm lucky they even let me go back to Duel Academy..."

"Annie, you can't think that way. If you do, then you m-might," Syrus stuttered, the tears finally showing as he held her tight. "Please, Annie. Don't think that way..."

Annie just shook. "Sy..."

Zane got up, worried that she'd work herself into a fit. "Kathy! Alex!" Annie's parents came rushing in, concerned.

"Zane, what—Annie..." Alex saw his daughter and future son-in-law on the floor in tears.

"They're having a hard time right now," the older boy explained. "Annie's really at a low point right now...she's scared."

"Oh, baby," Kathy said, getting on the floor with the two kids. She put her arms around them. "Alex..."

Alex joined his wife on the floor, so that both parents had enveloped the teens in a hug. "Annie, Sy, come now. Everything's gonna be all right..."

"Daddy...I'm just tired...and I don't know if..." Annie felt weak and scattered at the moment.

"Sweetie," Kathy said softly, "it's okay to go through a low like this. And we all know you're scared. And Sy, we all know you're scared too...you're so young to be dealing with something like this."

"Mom...what if it does happen? Daddy..."

"Annie...I just hate seeing you this way," Sy whispered sadly.

"Please, honey, think positive. God will help you and Sy through this," replied Alex.

Annie shivered a little bit. "However it happens, right, Dad?" She managed a smile.

Alex returned the smile. "Right. Just stay strong and believe, and don't give up."

"Okay," she said, getting back her emotional control. "I'm sorry, Sy..."

Syrus wiped his own tears away with the back of his arm, shaking his head a little. "It's okay, Annie. I understand..."

Everyone got up and headed down to the car where Bobby was already packing bags. "You guys okay?" he asked his sister and future brothers-in-law.

"Yeah, Bobby...just having a down moment," Annie admitted.

"Thought you'd been burying something...you just didn't do what you usually do..."

"Eat a gallon of chocolate ice cream?"

"Exactly..."

"Maybe we can get some ice cream at the airport. We should have enough time," offered Syrus as they climbed in. Alex helped Bobby pack-up the rest of the bags.

"That...actually sounds good, Sy," Annie said softly.

"Annie, you want us to put in your iPod for the car ride?" Kathy asked.

"Is that okay with you guys?" Annie asked.

"Sy?" Zane asked.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine with it," he replied, smiling. Alex and Bobby had just climbed into the car, and he started it.

Annie picked a playlist of upbeat songs, including a Japanese language one. Annie sang along with it. "This one's about not giving up even in the worst of circumstances...I think I need to listen to it."

Syrus smiled as they drove off towards the airport, taking her hand. "I like it..."

"This is from Sailor Moon," Zane recognized, earning a few shocked looks. "You aren't the only Obelisk girl into Sailor Moon, you know, Annie." He flushed slightly.

"But not many girls could make a movie out of it," Syrus stated, grinning.

"No...Sally definitely couldn't..."

"Sally?" Sy asked curiously.

"We hung out together, or rather, she followed me around...her last name was Fofesca...she had a little sister...I think..."

"Wait, Fofesca...that's Mary's last name!" Sy realized in horror.

"Oh great...there's more than one of them," Annie groaned.

"Yeah...she thought she could seduce me," Zane groaned.

"Zane, her sister thought she could seduce all the guys...including me." Syrus shivered at the memory of her attempt.

"I'm glad Alexis, Violet and Rosa took care of Mary Sue," Annie sighed.

Syrus blinked in surprise. "Wait, when did that happen?!"

"Uh...remember at the beginning of the last school year...the bonfire...the panty raid?" Annie asked.

He sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Uh...yeah..."

"She tried to crash our party and told us that you and Jaden were made for each other..."

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned.

Syrus grimaced, feeling extremely repulsed at the idea. "Jay...and...ME???"

"Yeah...she also thought...Zane and Atticus would be great together," Annie sighed. Zane turned slightly green at that.

"Mary has even worse ideas than I originally thought," Syrus groaned, disgusted.

"Mary has a necklace she claims is a Millennium Item, right?" Zane asked his brother.

"Yeah. But you can tell it's not even real gold. And the symbol is all wrong," Sy replied, rolling his eyes.

"Sally had a Millennium headband," Zane remarked, also rolling his eyes.

"They're so alike they could be twins...but I'm glad they're not..."

"Oh, gosh...I must've blocked it out," Annie groaned, laughing.

"What?" Zane wondered. Annie was laughing very hard.

"What is it, Annie?" added Syrus, surprised.

"Sally came to Alexis and told her...she should be dating...Zane...or JASMINE!!!"

Zane, Syrus kind of understood, as a lot of people thought that. But when Annie said Jasmine, the color drained from his face. "That's just....it's wrong!"

Zane sighed. "I know there were rumors about me and Lexi, but her and Jasmine? What in the heck?"

Annie cracked up. "I know! It's so twisted and wrong...Alexis wasn't too happy..."

Then Zane remembered. "That was the week Sally left school..."

"Oh...do you know why?" Sy asked.

"Alexis pounded the living snot out of her," Zane answered. "Lexi's dangerous when she's mad..."

"Annie, is that what happened to Mary?"

"She transferred to East Academy," Annie grinned wickedly. "She tried to get in at North Academy...but she couldn't pass the entrance exam. She couldn't climb the ice bergs like Chazz could," she concluded.

"I'm not surprised...she didn't look like the athletic type, even if she thought she was perfect," Sy commented.

"Nope...her sister sucked, too," Zane said. "Sally tried playing tennis with Harrington Rosewood...big mistake..."

"For who?" Annie asked.

"Her...she ended up in the infirmary with a sprained ankle..."

The conversation likely would have reached new heights showing the sisters' stupidity, but they'd reached the airport. "We're here, kids," stated Alex.

Annie hugged her family close, fighting down her fears. "Sweetheart, we'll see you at Christmas, all right?" Kathy said.

"Love you, Annie," Bobby said.

"Love you guys, too," Annie answered.

"Thanks for having us," Zane said, shaking Alex's hand.

"Think nothing of it, you two. It was our pleasure. You three be careful now," Alex replied, smiling.

Zane nodded and then got Alex to step aside for a moment. "Alex, you have my word...I'll keep an eye on them both..."

Alex placed a hand on Zane's shoulder. "Thank you, Zane. But watch out for yourself as well, okay?"

"I will. Thanks for everything," he said.

"Don't worry about it. Now then, you three should get going if you want enough time to get ice cream."

"Hey, Zane, hurry up!" Annie called out as they got the last of the luggage out of the car and onto the curb.

"Coming," he called back.

"See you later, everyone," Zane said, shaking Bobby's hand and then getting a hug from Kathy. He got Annie's trunk and Sy's big suitcase. "Let's check in, shall we?" Annie nodded quietly.

_So the Truesdales and Annie made it to the airport without incident. And Annie is obviously going through a low point. But they are going back to Domino. Next time, "Flying." Please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	88. Flying

Chapter LXXXVIII: Flying

_Hello, again, dear readers! And thank you so much for the reviews! We hope you have all been able to return safely home from your holiday travels if you went anywhere, and we hope you have fun as 2009 rings in. And so, on with the next-to-last chapter in this tale._

_Last time, Annie had a hard time as she, Sy and Zane packed up to leave Seattle, but thanks to a pep talk from her family and a chat with some Duel Monsters, she was able to pick up a bit. And now, they are at SeaTac International Airport. So read on!_

_**Disclaimer: In addition to what we don't own, we don't own Dairy Queen and we don't own Starbucks. We also don't own anything having to do with Harry Potter or the History Channel. If we owned anything of those, that would be awesome.**_

_**Warning: There is a make-out scene in this chapter. We feel it's still in the T range. Nevertheless, we feel we should warn you. Thank you.**_

There wasn't a lot of traffic at the current time, so they were able to check in and get through security rather quickly. The three teens now stood a few feet away from security, with plenty of time left to get some ice cream. "Now...where's the food court?" mumbled Syrus, looking at the signs.

Then they got Annie a wheelchair as she was becoming really winded. "I think I'm not doing gym this year," she said. "I won't miss that..."

"Did you ever skip it, Annie?" Sy asked curiously.

Annie blushed. "Well, no, but at least Miss Fontaine did make it fun...and she didn't make fun of me because I couldn't do something..."

Syrus thought of something. "Hey, did Violet ever skip?"

"She did, once in a while...for good causes..."

"Good causes?" Zane asked as they walked to the North Satellite food court.

"Yeah...one time she cut class because Bastion was mopey..."

"You mean back when he lost to Taniya?" Sy asked, thinking of that time.

Annie nodded from the wheelchair. "She's probably told him by now...she liked sketching pictures of him and that day, she was really worried about him. But he talked to her..."

"So that's why one day he was sad, and the next he actually seemed to be in a good mood again," Syrus stated as they entered the food court.

Annie nodded. "Yeah. Violet was happy he was starting to feel better...He really shouldn't have kicked himself, though..."

"Well, I sort of blamed myself when Zane lost...I can sort of understand how he might have felt..."

Zane placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Sy...little brother...if I'd let Camula take you...I never could've forgiven myself." It was one of those moments where Zane really let his guard down. "Sy...you're my world even if I didn't act like it before..."

Syrus smiled and hugged his brother, not caring if they were in public. "Thanks, Zane...I know that now..."

Zane hugged back. A couple of teenage boys pointed and laughed, so Zane gave them his patented death glare. They ran screaming like little girls and Annie grinned. "Nice, Zane...hey, cool, there's a Dairy Queen here now! About time!" She grinned. "We had, like, 20 Starbucks in this airport..."

"Why 20??" Syrus asked as they headed for the Dairy Queen.

"It's Seattle, Sy...People are coffee addicts around here...My grandma has to stop every time she sees an espresso cart," she sighed.

"Oh. Well, uh, what do you want, Annie?"

Annie smiled. "I'll have a small chocolate cherry Blizzard."

Zane for his part, selected a banana split. "Sy, your turn," he said.

"I'll have a chocolate cone," Sy ordered. A minute later they got their ice cream and sat down at one of the many empty tables to eat.

Annie ate up, but slowly. This was the biggest treat she'd eaten in weeks. "This is good..."

"Yeah, but not as good as Mom's black cherry ice cream," replied Syrus, grinning.

"Oh, yeah," Zane grinned. "She's probably making it by the gallon right now..."

"You'll have to try it, Annie. It's really good."

Annie nodded. "I love homemade ice cream..."

Zane nodded as well. "Mom makes a lot of it when she has time...Sy eats until he has a stomach ache."

"And then I'll spend all night in the bathroom," Sy muttered, blushing.

"Well...I ate a whole big watermelon once," Annie blushed. "I spent a lot of time in the bathroom."

"You think Jay or Violet ever have to go through that? They do eat a lot," Sy wondered.

"I bet Jayda has to keep a lot of antacids," Annie suggested.

"He doesn't seem to need them...except that one time," Zane said, pausing. "Sy...you remember that incident with the wasabi?"

"Yeah. That ended up being really bad...Jay almost had to go to the infirmary," Syrus answered, grimacing.

"What happened?" Annie asked.

"He ate a lot of wasabi and spent half the night groaning in pain and in the bathroom," Zane explained.

"Hmmm, guess the theory that Jaden has a cast-iron stomach is wrong..." Annie had a hard time picturing Jaden groaning in pain because of something he ate.

"Yeah, I was just as surprised. I always thought he could eat anything and be just fine. Do you know if Violet has a cast-iron stomach?" Sy asked.

"She...doesn't," Annie said, blushing. "She got some of that hot sauce from Chumley's dad and drank it straight on a dare..."

Zane raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope," she said seriously. "It...wasn't a good idea..."

Syrus winced, imagining what that sauce could do to your insides if you drank too much of it. "Did she get as sick as Jay?"

"Oh, yeah...we had to call Miss Fontaine. She had to give Violet a lot of antacids..."

"So...it looks like really spicy things are their weakness, huh?"

"Yeah...and Violet's picky about what she goes for..."

"But we've seen for ourselves that if she likes it, she can eat just as much of it as Jay," he replied, sweat-dropping.

"Yeah," Annie said, also sweat-dropping.

"Amazing...two at the same school," Zane commented, enjoying his sundae.

"It wouldn't be a good thing if for some reason we had to start rationing food, that's for sure," Sy observed.

"Sy...I think in such a situation, they'd be okay...I'd worry about how some of the Obelisk guys would do," Annie commented.

"They can be wimps."

"It's because they're used to getting everything they need. Most of them came from rich families and could go to that special prep school."

"Yeah...They obviously didn't take survival training...at least the kind that didn't involve credit cards..." Annie had hit the mark, and Zane couldn't help but snicker.

Syrus laughed at the joke as they all finished their ice cream. He sighed and glanced at the clock, whereupon all humor fell from his face. "What the--?! Guys! We only have ten minutes until our plane boards!!"

"Okay, Annie, let's get you in the wheelchair. We need to get to gate N-14!" Zane commanded. Once Annie was secure, they ran down past the other gates to N-14. They made it with 5 minutes to spare and boarded into First Class. "We made it," Zane said, relieved.

"Yay," Annie said tiredly. She was worn because her heart rate had gone up and that, combined with the fast ride had left her winded.

Syrus fell into his seat, exhausted. "How did time go by so fast???"

"We had fun," Annie answered. "Sorry you had to push me, Zane..."

"No problem, Annie...just do me a favor..."

"Yeah?"

"Make sure I don't order something with orange juice in it..."

"Done."

"Don't worry, Zane. We'll be sure to remind you," added Syrus, buckling his seatbelt.

Annie buckled in, and before long, they were in the air. They studied the menus and Annie ordered Zane a special fruit punch without orange juice in it. "Thanks, Annie...I can't believe we're actually flying first class..."

"Mom and Dad upgraded us...they thought it was a good thing to do..."

"Look, Annie," Syrus stated, pointing out the window. There were some clouds shaped like various objects in the sky.

"Hey, I see a...UFO-roid!" she said, pointing too.

"I see...an Elemental Hero Avian..." Zane added.

"I see Cyber-End Dragon!" Syrus added, grinning happily.

"And...I see Usagi's hair," Zane added. "And...Sy, I see your hair, too!" He pointed at a cloud that had two smaller clouds on top of it and then a cloud that looked a lot like Sy's puffy hair.

Sy grinned sheepishly and sweat-dropped. "It does look like my hair...but there's one that looks like Chazz's!" he said and pointed to a strangely spiky cloud.

Annie giggled. "I see it! And I see...Yugi's hair!" She pointed at a cloud that was really spiky.

Zane looked too. "That...wow it does...Sy? What do you think?"

"Yeah...it is just like Yugi's hair! How cool!!" the younger boy grinned.

"Whoa..." Annie looked captivated at another formation. "That...looks like...Slifer..."

Syrus' eyes widened. "That's not all...either my eyes are playing tricks on me, or that's Obelisk..."

Zane looked impressed. "Nope...and I see...the Winged Dragon of Ra...never would want to face that thing in a duel..."

"Good thing the god cards were destroyed...except I heard that Industrial Illusions has a copy for research purposes," Annie said.

"I wonder which are more powerful...the God cards or the Sacred Beast cards..."

Zane looked thoughtful. "Somehow I don't want to think about it, considering what happened with the Sacred Beasts your first year...Annie?" he asked, noticing she had a contemplative expression on her face. "What are you thinking?"

"Well...I don't know which is truly more powerful, but...they seem to have their own strengths...I couldn't say which ones are more powerful, but I can say this safely... The Sacred Beasts look freakier..."

Syrus nodded in agreement. "They're kind of...darker, too..."

"Yeah...Shepherd was sweating during the Shadow Rider crisis," Zane said. "Remember, Sy?"

"Yeah...but then, the school _was_ being attacked..."

Annie shivered. "That was so freaky...there was something funny that happened, though..."

"What's that, Annie?" Syrus asked curiously.

"I saw the teachers' lounge and somebody put garlic, wooden stakes, silver bullets and holy water in there..."

Syrus couldn't help but laugh a little. "Really? I wonder which teacher did that..."

"That sounds like Professor Banner," Zane offered.

"Probably...I can't believe he was...one of them," Annie said.

"I know. But...he did give Jay the card he needed to beat Kagemaru."

"Yeah...it's interesting to note that he suffered the same fate as the people who worked on the Egyptian god cards," Annie said, shivering. "What you told me, Sy...but he was able to figure a way to cheat death temporarily..."

"Yeah. With a…a...humonculas?" Syrus offered, grinning sheepishly since he knew he'd said it wrong.

"Homunculus, Sy," Annie said. "Yeah...he kinda took something out of Lord Voldemort's playbook..."

"Yeah...the Philosopher's Stone," Zane said.

"I didn't even know alchemy actually existed until his class," Sy murmured thoughtfully

"You didn't?" Annie asked in surprise.

He blushed a little. "Uh, no. I thought it was just made up..."

"Alchemists are part of history, Sy...they were among the first chemists," Annie explained.

"Oh," he mumbled, still a little embarrassed.

"It's okay, Sy...it's something that teachers don't talk about as much, I guess...I read about it and I see it on the History Channel and then I forget other people don't do that too often..." She blushed, sorry that she'd made him feel bad.

"Uh, don't worry about it, Annie. You should be glad to know so much," Syrus replied, hoping he hadn't upset her.

"Did you read the Harry Potter books when you were little, Sy?" she asked.

"Yeah. I liked all of the monsters..."

"Nicolas Flamel was a real person..."

"He was?!" he asked, shocked.

"Yeah," Annie said. "I went on Wikipedia to read up on Harry Potter and I clicked on Nicolas Flamel's name, and he was a real alchemist. Apparently, a tomb robber went to his grave and didn't find a body..."

"You're kidding, Annie...aren't you?" Zane asked.

The girl shook her head. "Nope."

Syrus' eyes were wide with awe. "Wow...that's amazing..."

"Yeah...I wonder if Professor Banner knew that...Anyway...the people who worked on the god cards with Pegasus all died under freaky circumstances. Pegasus was the only one not to die or go crazy..."

"I wonder why..."

Annie thought a minute... "He followed the rules..."

"Huh? What do you mean??" Sy asked, confused.

"Well, it's kind of like in horror movies...Never go into the freaky house alone...Never split up...Always listen to the stranger who tells you how to protect yourself from the curse..."

"Oh...I get it," Zane said. "Like...don't watch the video that's supposed to be cursed."

"Oh...so what didn't he do that let him survive?" Sy asked Annie.

"He listened to the strangers that told him to ditch the god cards," Annie sighed. "Unfortunately, not everybody knew the rules..."

"That's one reason why I'm not gonna be an archaeologist...there's always curses," Sy groaned.

"Or really creepy coincidences," Annie offered.

"Yeah..."

Just then, the pilot's voice came over the speakers. "Attention passengers, we'll be coming in for a landing at Domino City Airport in a few minutes. Please fasten your seatbelts."

Annie held Sy's hand. "I don't like landings...they make me nervous..."

"Keep calm, Annie," Zane said softly. Syrus gave her hand a comforting squeeze, as the plane began its slow descent. Finally the plane landed and made its way to the gate. "Hey, we're home, bro...we'll get a taxi and head to the hotel for tonight. Then we'll head to the house tomorrow, okay?" Zane said.

"All right. I can't wait to see Mom and Dad. I bet you're excited to see Violet, too, Annie," he replied as they followed the other passengers out of the plane.

Annie nodded, smiling. "Yeah...and the gang...and your mom and dad..."

"I'm excited to see them all, too. It's been a long time..."

"Mom's going to want to stuff us before you get back to school next week...especially you, Annie," the older boy said.

Annie was wobbly, so she was placed in a wheelchair so the small group could get to baggage claim. "I could walk," she said.

"You can't burn the calories, Annie," Zane countered.

"Besides, you'll be doing a lot of walking once we're back at school. The island and school are huge," added Syrus.

"Actually...they may be giving me a special wheelchair, Sy," Annie managed to say. "The doctors don't want me overexerting myself..."

"Oh...well, if anyone says anything, one of us will probably stop them." Syrus knew first-hand that other people could be hurtful.

"Yeah...Violet'll probably pound them into the ground," Zane said, actually sweat-dropping. "Or Bastion...I still can't get over that," he said as they got to the baggage carousel.

Syrus also sweat-dropped as he grabbed the handle of one of their bags. However, he didn't notice that it was wedged between more suitcases, and soon found himself being dragged on his belly. "Whoa, whoa, ah!"

"Oh, nuts! SY!" Zane had to run and grab his brother who'd been dragged across the floor and the bag. "Gotcha, bro!"

Sy grinned sheepishly, holding the pesky suitcase. "Uh, thanks, bro..."

"Good thing you weren't wearing something like my old uniform jacket, Syrus," Zane observed, standing his brother up and dusting him off. "I doubt the dirt would come off your stomach..."

"Yeah...I wish I wasn't so small." Syrus replied, sighing.

"I think Annie thinks you're the perfect size...And you have bulked up a bit in the past few weeks, helping her."

Sy blushed a little. "I guess you're right...oh, there's the rest of our stuff!"

The boys got the bags and trunk and headed back over to Annie. "I wish I could help you guys more," she sighed.

"Don't worry, Annie. We can handle this fine. There's not that much," Sy soothed.

They headed out to the curb and Zane hailed a cab. They loaded the bags and things, and then were off to one of Domino's really nice hotels. "We're booked at the Domino Sierra," Zane said. "We have two rooms...I imagine you two will want to continue as you have the last few weeks?"

Syrus blushed again. "Uh, yeah...that is if Annie wants to..."

Annie squeezed Sy's hand, smiling. "Of course I do..."

Sy smiled. "Thanks, bro."

"No problem," Zane answered. "Hey...no parents," he pointed out with a slight smile.

Syrus's blush increased at Zane's words, glancing at Annie.

Annie blushed as well. "Uh...Zane?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you implying that we...uh..." She wasn't sure what to say.

By now Sy's face was as red as a tomato, also unsure of what to say to his brother's words. "Uh..."

Zane snickered. "Just saying...besides...I don't think you two would do anything..."

"Oh, right...heh," Syrus mumbled, turning his gaze to the floor of the cab.

Annie gazed at her fiancé quietly for a moment. 'What if...he'd like to make out?' she thought.

He felt someone watching him, and noticed Annie gazing at him thoughtfully. "Uh, Annie? Something wrong??"

Annie blushed beet-red. "N-nothing...not now," she stammered.

Syrus frowned worriedly, and would have asked again if they hadn't arrived at the hotel. "Wow...Zane, we're staying HERE??"

Zane nodded. "Yup."

Annie gaped at the sight. "Wow...this is amazing! This is great!" It had a red carpet and the requisite bellhops waiting for baggage.

"Our moms and dads booked us here for tonight. You can order room service and just chill," the older boy said. "You two are under orders to just relax and have fun, okay?" Annie nodded.

"I'm gonna have to be sure to thank Mom and Dad when we see them," muttered Syrus as they headed inside.

"Whoa," Annie said and was silent until they arrived at their rooms. Zane went into his room to rest and Sy and Annie were alone in their huge room. It was decorated with a huge cherry wood sleigh bed and cherry furniture. The carpet was plush and warm and the couch was, too. "Sy...this is incredible," Annie breathed as they sat on the couch.

"I know...it's so relaxing in here," Sy replied, easing back. He smiled happily at her, taking her hand.

"Yeah..." Then they were looking at each other as the silence between them deepened.

A light blush came to Syrus' cheeks, wanting to do something romantic. But he was never good with these sorts of situations, and had no idea what to do. "Uh..."

Annie looked at him, also blushing. "Sy...what is it?" she asked, a bit nervous.

"Er, well, uh...did you want to, maybe," he mumbled, unable to say it.

"Maybe...what?" she asked. They went over to the big bed and sat down on it. "Sy...what are you thinking?"

Syrus fidgeted a little, glancing nervously at her. "Well, uh...maybe we could try...m-making out?" he barely stuttered out. Instantly, Syrus blushed, turning away and waiting to hear rejection.

"I was wondering when you'd want to," she responded softly.

His head snapped back to look at Annie with wide, surprised eyes. "Y-You were??"

She met his eyes. "Y-yeah...I mean...we're engaged, after all...and you are a good kisser..."

Syrus blushed. "I am..?"

Annie nodded, smiling shyly. "You're the only one I've ever kissed, but...you make me weak in the knees and leave me breathless...I think that's good..."

"Oh...that's kind of what happens when you kiss me," he mumbled quietly. "Uh, are you sure you want to...try it?" Annie nodded and turned so she was facing him. Syrus didn't exactly know what to do, so he started by kissing her. 'Oh...now what? Think, Syrus, think!'

Annie, meanwhile was thinking the same thing. 'What do they do in the movies? Uh...Oh, yeah!' She parted her lips slightly and put her arms around him, drawing him close. His eyes widened in surprise, but he copied her by placing his own arms around her waist. Syrus thought for a moment, then hesitantly opened his mouth. He moved a tentative tongue to hers, a little nervous that she'd get upset. Annie shivered slightly, feeling incredibly good as she felt what he was doing. She deepened the kiss. Finding her reaction to be good rather than bad, Syrus continued moving his tongue around her mouth. He also felt the urge to rub her back soothingly, and he did so. Syrus had to admit that this new feeling was...well, great! Annie rubbed back and suddenly broke the kiss, moving her lips to his neck.

At first, Sy thought that he'd done something wrong when she broke away. "S-Sorry, An-NIE!!" he gasped as her lips met his neck. His back went rigid and his body tensed, surprised by the action.

Annie moved. "S-sy...did I do something wrong?"

Syrus blinked. "Uh, n-no. You just...surprised me, is all..."he mumbled, blushing.

"So...should I...um..." She wasn't sure how to ask him if she should continue.

He guessed at what she was asking, and nodded. "Er, you can continue...if you want..." Annie moved her lips back to his neck and kissed it slowly and gently. Syrus shivered a little, but couldn't say he didn't enjoy the feeling. He wanted to do something for her, too, but didn't have any ideas. Annie moved up his neck to his cheek and then kissed him deeply again, hugging him to her. He decided that he should probably do it to her, to make things even. So, he gently broke away, easily lowering his head to place his lips on her neck. He tried to copy her, but was a little rougher.

A soft moan escaped Annie's lips. "Ooh..." She was feeling incredible with what he was doing.

Syrus blushed a little at her moan, surprised that he could make anyone do that. He did something he saw in a movie once, trailing butterfly kisses up her neck to her jaw and then back onto her lips. 'I hope I did that right...'

Annie shivered slightly as Sy moved back up and made the kiss very deep when he returned to where they'd started. Now she understood what her mother had meant about raging hormones and it felt so good. This time the French kiss continued for a few minutes, until both had to break apart for air.

Syrus was breathless, panting with his face red from exertion. "T-That...it was...amazing..."

Annie was panting, too and needed to lie back into the pillows. "Th-that...felt so good..." She looked at him. "I never knew I could feel that way..."

He also collapsed against the pillows beside her, turning to look into her eyes. "I know...I'm just as surprised as you..."

"I felt like I was flying, Sy," she managed tiredly, but clearly happy. "I'm not surprised, though...that I felt that good with you..."

Syrus blushed a little. "I felt like I was in Heaven, Annie...I always do when I'm with you. But just now...the feeling was even greater..."

Annie smiled. "Yeah...I understand it now..."

"Understand what, Annie?"

"Why what we just did is so powerful...It feels so good...I understand how people can go further than they intend...I...sort of wanted to..."

"I did, too, Annie...but we should at least wait until we're married..." Annie nodded, then sighed. The fear in her was creeping up again. She couldn't keep that fear out of her eyes, though she tried. "Annie...don't start thinking that way again," he murmured, taking her hand.

"I'm sorry," she sighed, resting her head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, resting his chin on her head. "It's okay, Annie. You just have to think positive is all," Syrus mumbled through a yawn.

Annie's eyes were closed. "We have to eat, don't we..?" She smiled a little. "I'm feeling a little hungry..."

Syrus smiled at that. He could stay up a little longer if it meant Annie would eat something. "Right. Zane said we could call room service...so there should be a menu in one of the drawers..."

"Yeah...we should make out more often," she said softly.

He blushed, but smiled as he pulled a menu out of the end table drawer. "So, uh, what do you want?"

Annie took a look at the menu he brought her. "A cheeseburger and fries sounds nice. And we could finish with ice cream sundaes..."

"Yeah, that sounds good to me." Syrus dialed the number on the room phone and ordered the food, hanging up when it was set. "It should be here in 10-15 minutes..."

Annie smiled. "That's good...I wonder what the guys have been doing...if they've been...you know..." She blushed.

He also blushed. "Maybe...they're all engaged, too...."

"Well...yeah..." Annie giggled, thinking about that. They talked on for a few minutes and the food arrived. For the first time in a month and a half, Annie ate most of her dinner and half of the chocolate sundae. After the two finished, Annie yawned sleepily. It was 9:30 and she was tired.

Syrus also yawned, feeling just as tired after their long day and a full stomach. "Maybe we should get our pajamas on..."

"Yeah..." Annie moved to her suitcase and got one of her prettier nightgowns out. Halfway to the bed, she felt a little bit wobbly. "Sy...Could I have a hand?"

He was instantly on his feet, and helped her the rest of the way to the bed. "Are you okay, Annie?"

"Just feeling really tired all of a sudden...Could you help me get ready for bed?" Her arms felt really heavy to her.

"Sure..." Syrus started by helping her pull her pants off first.

"Thanks," she said softly as he did. The physical feeling that they'd had earlier in the evening had cooled considerably, so she wasn't worried that the situation could spin out of control.

"Don't worry about it," he replied. Syrus slowly helped her remove her shirt and bra, quickly slipping the nightgown back over her.

She lay down in the freshly opened bed, drained. "Sy...I love you so much..."

Syrus smiled, giving her a quick kiss. "I love you more than anything, Annie," he replied. He then went to his suitcase and pulled out a pair of white cotton pajamas.

"Maybe someday...I'll help you," she murmured.

Sy heard her, and his smile grew as he slipped off his shirt. "You will, Annie. I know you will," he replied, pulling on the pajama top.

"Yeah...and our babies," she said softly.

Syrus blushed at the thought, slipping off his pants. "Yeah...them, too," he replied, pulling on his pajama pants and climbing in beside her.

She was just awake enough to cuddle next to him, and then drifted off. "Good night, Sy..."

He kissed her head, smiling. "Goodnight, Annie..."

_So Sy and Annie had a little bit of fun and she ate something! And the plane didn't crash! And everyone's alive! YAY! So next time, we close this story with "Meeting at the Museum." Please read, review and stay tuned! Happy New Year, everybody!_


	89. Meeting at the Museum

Chapter LXXXIX: Meeting at the Museum

_Hello, again, everyone, and welcome to the last official chapter of Summer Love, Summer Fears. We are pleased to announce that there is going to be a sequel to this story, and it is called "Nightmare Resurrection!" In the next chapter we post in this story, there will be 5 movie trailers, as it were, to show you what you can expect. That is to be posted immediately after this chapter is posted, so you should have two chapters to read and review instead of one. So thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed throughout this story. We are so grateful and happy that you did. So we hope you follow us to the next tale in this series. So onto the end of this story!_

_Last time, the Truesdale boys and Annie flew back to Domino without incident and Sy and Annie had their first make-out session. And Annie ate better than she had in a month. So what will happen the next day? Read on and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Uh…yeah…we don't own GX…We wish we did. We also don't own IMAX, Cinerama or Star Wars. You know what we own. Thanks.**_

_**Warning: Mentions of preparedness…you'll see…**_

The next day, the three kids checked out of the huge hotel and headed to the Truesdale family home. "Hey, Mom! Hey Dad!" Zane called, coming in the front door.

Within seconds, a pair of arms somehow managed to wrap the three in a hug. "Oh, how glad I am to see you three again!" stated Darla Truesdale.

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "Mom..."

"Hi, Darla," Annie said, enjoying the warm hug.

"Will! Get in here; the kids are home!!" called Darla. Syrus sweat-dropped at his mother's enthusiasm.

As it happened, Will had been at work, but only worked a half-day so he could be there when the kids came home. "Coming, honey. Welcome back, you three." He hugged each teen in turn. "Annie, sweetie...how are you feeling?"

"Okay," she answered.

Syrus smiled. "She ate all of her dinner and breakfast!" he stated happily.

Darla grinned. "That's wonderful, honey! I'll make sure you get plenty of food in you," she replied.

Annie nodded, smiling. "Oh, kids...I hope you know your mother has been working to make your favorite ice cream," Will grinned.

"I knew it," Zane said drily.

"I don't know how, Mom, but Zane guessed you were doing that," explained Syrus.

Darla laughed. "Well, Zane knows that I always make it for special occasions like this. Would you kids like some right now?"

Zane smiled. "Of course. What about you two?"

Annie nodded. "I would."

"Yeah! I want some!!" Syrus replied excitedly.

"Right. Will, you help the kids get their bags upstairs, while I got get some ready," she stated.

"Okay," Will said. "So, how was Seattle?" he asked.

"Good," Zane said. "We went to the aquarium one day, Dad, and then rode on the ferry."

"Sy?" Will coaxed.

"Yeah, it was really fun! Especially when Annie and I went to the market there," he replied, smiling as they went upstairs.

"Remember when we went to the Science Center?" Zane asked.

"Oh, yeah...we saw that IMAX version of 'Cars,'" Annie remembered. "Sy...remember when we all went to the Cinerama Theater and saw The Empire Strikes Back?"

Syrus grinned. "Yep! That was so cool...I wonder if they have one of those theaters here."

"That'd be fun to find out..."

"Oh, kids, if you want, we could check out the museum this afternoon," Will offered.

"The museum?" Annie asked. She had wanted to see the Domino Museum as a sort of historical trip.

"Yeah, the Domino Museum. Didn't you want to see that, Annie?" asked Syrus.

Annie nodded. "Yeah...that sounds good. I heard that there was an Egyptian exhibit there again..."

"Oh yeah," Zane added. "That could be fun."

"All right. Well then, let's get your stuff stowed away, kids and you can have a little of that black cherry ice cream. Then we can go, okay?" Will said, smiling.

"That sounds great, Dad!" Sy grinned. So they placed their things in their rooms and went back downstairs to the kitchen where three bowls of Darla's homemade black cherry ice cream sat.

Zane took a big bite. "Oh, this is good!" he breathed.

Annie took a decent bite and smiled. "Darla, this is good!"

"Aw, thanks, you two," she replied, smiling.

Syrus had taken quite a large spoonful, and swallowed it a little too quickly. "Mmm—ah! Ow, ow, ow...brain freeze," he groaned, clutching his head.

"Sy, are you all right?" Annie asked.

"Yeah...it's happened before, don't worry," Syrus replied, taking a smaller spoonful.

Darla sighed. "He just gets so excited when I make this ice cream..."

Annie giggled. And then Will noticed a light red mark on Sy's neck and a similar one on Annie's neck. After the teens finished their ice cream, Will called Sy into his home office. "Sy, is there something you want to talk about?" he asked with a slight smile on his face.

The teen boy blinked. "Uh, no...why do you ask?" Syrus had no idea there was a mark on his neck at all.

"I couldn't help but notice you and Annie both have little red marks on your necks...they look...recent, Syrus..."

Syrus tensed, eyes wide as he slapped a hand to the spot on his neck. 'I didn't know there was a mark!' he thought nervously. "Uh, er, I can explain...we didn't do anything bad, Dad...really!"

To Sy's surprise and relief, Will started laughing a little bit. "I just wanted to talk to you about it, kiddo...You're at a very big turning point here and I want to be sure you're ready for whatever happens next, okay?"

"Oh...okay, dad..." Syrus was glad he wasn't in trouble like he thought he would be.

"I know things can happen in the heat of the moment and...Well, I just want to be sure you're...prepared..."

"We talked about it, Dad. We both know what might happen...and we know to try and stop ourselves..."

"Okay...just...if you can't...you know to...uh..." Will flushed red, and it was disconcerting on him, because he was the spitting image of his eldest son.

Syrus could barely hide his grin upon seeing his usually calm, stoic father blush and stutter. "Dad, I know. Really..."

"Oh...okay...just remember that you can come to me if you need...something...okay?"

Sy blushed a little. "Uh, okay...thanks, Dad." He then went over and hugged his father to show he understood.

"So...do you want to go to the museum now?" Will asked.

"Yeah...Annie seems really excited about it."

"She is...she's really lost weight...Alex and Kathy told us, but...I wasn't prepared..."

Syrus frowned a little. "I know, Dad. But...I think she's getting better. Hopefully, by the time we go back to school, she'll be the right weight again."

"How much has she lost since her attack?" Will asked as they headed out of the office.

"Almost 25 pounds..."

"Syrus...it'll take a while for her to regain the weight. She won't gain it back in a few days but...however you're getting her to eat, I suggest you keep doing that." Will couldn't have known that he was telling his 17-year-old son to keep making out with his girlfriend.

Syrus grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh, all right, Dad," he replied as they entered the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Zane was on his second bowl of ice cream in the dining room and Darla and Annie were in the living room. "Uh...Darla? What is it?"

"Annie...did you and Sy...do anything special while you were gone?" the doctor asked, smiling.

"Why do you ask, Darla?" Annie wondered.

"Well, honey...I'm not sure if you knew or not, but...there's a mark on your neck..."

Annie blushed. "Oh...my...gosh..." If this were an anime, Annie would have the classic freaked-out expression on her face.

Darla noticed her expression and quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Now, Annie, just calm down. I'm not mad or anything..."

Annie swallowed nervously, and then remembered what line of work Darla was in. "Darla, we just had our first make-out session last night and our second this morning. I guess we were kissing each other's necks a bit too hard...but we didn't go any further than that. Not that we didn't want to, but we knew we shouldn't..."

She smiled. "That's perfectly natural, Annie. I understand. I just want to make sure that you two are prepared is all..."

Annie nodded. "Okay...well, if I end up...needing a certain thing...you can help me with that, right?" she asked, cheeks getting pink again.

"Why, of course. If you need to know anything, feel free to ask, honey."

"Okay, thanks Darla..." Annie gave her a hug. "The guys are probably wondering what we're doing..."

"You have a point there. Let's get back to the kitchen," she replied. So, the two women went back into the kitchen, where the three guys were waiting.

Annie noticed Sy's expression, but didn't ask him about it until the two of them were alone at the museum with him pushing her in the wheelchair. "What did your dad talk to you about?" she asked curiously.

Syrus' blush returned, and he coughed nervously. "The, uh, mark," he mumbled.

Annie blushed and giggled. "Your mom talked to me about it..."

"S-She did? Dad wasn't mad...but was she??"

"No, actually," she answered, "and...she was really nice about it. And she knows we'll be responsible..."

"That's good...I was worried...oh, look! Annie, it's the stone tablets that show ancient Egyptian dueling," Syrus stated, pointing in awe.

"They brought it back here..." Annie's eyes were wide. "This was here eleven years ago..." "This" was the tablet that showed Guardian Seto and Pharaoh Atem dueling. "They never said who won..."

"Because the bottom part was destroyed...it said who the winner was. And there's the Blue Eyes White Dragon," he replied, pointing above Guardian Seto.

"And the Dark Magician," she said, pointing at the picture of Atem. "This is so cool, seeing something this ancient..."

And then from the next room, the two teens heard muffled giggling and then... "Lex? Lex! Quit it!" There was more laughter from the source of the voice.

Syrus blinked. "That sounded like...Jay...and did he say Lex?"

Annie looked at Sy, nodding wordlessly. Quietly, Sy rolled Annie's chair around the corner to see Alexis and Jaden kissing deeply. "Uh...hi, guys," Annie said. She was rather stunned and blurted it out.

Alexis' eyes snapped open, her gasp of surprise audible as she pulled away from Jaden. "W-Who?!"

Jaden's face was red. "Uh...Annie? Sy?! Oh, my gosh! What are you guys...uh...doing here?" He was glad to see them, but startled after the interrupted make-out session.

Syrus was grinning sheepishly. "Uh, well, we just got back yesterday. Annie wanted to see the ancient Egyptian exhibit here at the museum," he explained.

Then Annie noticed Alexis was wearing a new fashion accessory. "I like your scarf, Alexis..."

Alexis blushed. "Uh, thanks, Annie..."

Annie beckoned her close. "You have a hickey too, don't you?" she whispered.

Alexis' eyes widened in shock. "You have one?!" she whispered.

However, before Annie could answer, they all heard a shriek from the next exhibit. The dinosaur exhibit. "ESTA EL DIABLO!!!" yelled a familiar Spanish voice.

"That sounded like..." Annie began.

"ROSA!" Jaden yelped joyfully. The four moved quickly to the dinosaur skeleton room.

"Darlin', it's not the devil! It's a T-Rex," Tyson soothed. "It's all right...besides, it's dead..."

Rosa, coming from a remote town, had never seen a dinosaur skeleton before. So, of course, she'd been frightened by it. "Dios mio...warn me next time," she groaned, letting out a sigh.

"Rosa! Tyson!!" called Alexis, grinning.

"Hey, guys!" Jaden greeted.

Tyson turned. He was very tan after a summer of sunny Spain and keeping Rosa relaxed after the snake bite. "Sarge! Private Lexi! Private Truesdale! Private Annie! Oh, you're a sight for sore eyes, all of you!" He hugged each of them and was extra gentle with Annie. Her appearance was a shock to him.

"Hola, mis amigos! Como estas?" greeted Rosa happily. She also hugged each of them, taking special care with Annie in her current state.

"How weird is it that we'd all be here on the same day?" stated Alexis.

"Yeah. All we're missing is—" began Syrus.

"I'm tellin' ya, Bastion-baby, it looks just like your head!" a familiar female voice rang out.

"Figures..." Annie, Jaden and Tyson said at the same time.

"Let's do stealth operations," Tyson suggested quietly. They headed across the room to the abstract art exhibit where Bastion and Violet were looking at a Pablo Picasso painting.

"Yes, you did mention my head was square, Violet, darling," the genius commented. Violet's arm was out of a cast now and she had a couple of scars on the arm that would fade over time.

Annie grinned wickedly from her wheelchair and called out, "It's ET!!!"

Violet, not even paying attention to whose voice it was, turned like lightning. "WHERE?!?!" The others all tried stifling their laughter, with minimal success.

"Gotcha, Violet!" Annie crowed.

The purple-headed girl blinked, a blank look on her face until she realized what had happened and who had tricked her. "Annie...? Annie! YAY!" Violet cheered, running over to hug her best friend happily.

"Yup. We're all here," stated Syrus, sweat-dropping.

Annie hugged back. "Violet, oh gosh...you're okay!" she said, not bothering to hold back the happy tears at seeing her best friend healthy and okay.

Violet grinned. "You bet I am! Besides a few new scars to add to the collection, I'm just dandy!! But what about you? You look so thin!" she replied, prodding Annie's skinny arm.

"Si, Senorita Annie. You do not look so well," added Rosa in agreement.

"Yeah...that last attack took a lot out of me," Annie answered, but then grinned. "Sy's going to make sure I eat, though...we're going to try to get me to gain some weight," she concluded brightly.

Violet smiled at that, and held a finger high in the air. "I'll help! I know a few carbo-loading recipes that'll get you back to your normal weight in no time!!"

Syrus sweat-dropped. "I told you she'd do that," he whispered to Annie.

"That's okay," Annie whispered back. "I love that...you just have to make sure I have the appetite." And then she gave him a butterfly kiss on the cheek.

"Annie...I'll help Violet with the cooking," Bastion said, "and if I have to drag you all to Ra Yellow every night to do it...I will..."

"Thanks, Bastion."

"Hey, Alexis? Where's..?" Annie began and then...

"ATTICUS, THAT IS DISGUSTING!" Chazz yelled, walking out of another room.

Atticus followed his brother into the room. "What? It's true! They shove a wooden spoon up your nose and make a brain smoothie!"

"Oh, lord," Zane groaned. "You just had to gross him out, didn't you, Atticus?"

Atticus pouted. "I was just telling him the truth..."he grumbled.

"We were looking at the mummies," Chazz growled. "How did they...Hey! You guys are back," he said, noticing their friends. "Hey, Annie...How are you feeling?" he asked, hesitant to give her a hug.

When he got close, Annie pulled him into a hug. "I'll be okay," she said easily. "Enjoying being a Rhodes?"

"You bet..." "So how do they get the brains out of a mummy's head?"

"They use a metal hook, not a wooden spoon. The ancient Egyptians believed you could take everything with you," she concluded.

"Oh, my bad. Thought it was a spoon," replied Atticus, rubbing the back of his head. He then hugged Annie, a broad grin on his face. "The whole gang's here! How cool!!"

"Hey, Atticus," Annie said, enjoying the hug. "Well, we're all here...together again. We'll have to hang out because in a few days...back to class..."

Suddenly, Violet grinned. "I almost forgot to tell you guys! I planned a party to celebrate the end of summer!!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Atticus' eyes lit up. "A party?! Yeah!!"

"SWEET!" Jaden yelled.

"Oh, gosh, Violet! You were planning this and didn't tell me?" Annie yelped.

"Well...she didn't tell me, either," Bastion said. "She didn't tell her fiancé..."

"The Chazz likes," Chazz said coolly.

Violet pouted at Bastion. "It was supposed to be a surprise for everyone, silly!" she replied.

Alexis smiled. "So when is the party?" she asked.

"The last Saturday before school starts! In the park!! And my parents, a friend, and I all managed to get a permit for an all-night party! As long as we don't disturb the peace too much," explained Violet happily.

"This'll be good," Zane said.

"Yeah...an all-night party," Annie smiled. And so the teens happily planned to end the summer with one heck of a bang.

_And so ends this story. But wait! There's more! Ladies and gentlemen, we are pleased to bring you a set of trailers, which is why chapter 89 went up a bit earlier than we originally thought. So in a few hours, we will bring you the trailers for "Nightmare Resurrection!" But until then, please read and review this finale! Thank you!_


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